Manchester United are yet to see a new manager bounce since the arrival of Ruben Amorim in November with the team still languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table and desperate for an upturn in fortunes.
Amorim’s three at the back system has proved difficult for his current crop of players to adapt to and United are struggling to turn out any kind of string of decent showings.
However, the Portuguese coach has remained staunch in his methods and refuses to budge on his formation despite the poor form.
As reported by The Mirror, former Arsenal star Paul Merson has criticised Amorim for not adapting his ways and believes United are set up to fail by persisting with playing with three at the back.
“Ruben Amorim is the problem at Manchester United. He is sending (the) players out to fail. The three at the back isn’t working the way he’d planned,” MErson said.
“So, change it. He’s not helping the players, he’s helping himself by just keeping it the way he’s been used to playing all his managerial career or most of it.”
The Sky Sports pundit then argued that Amorim should look to adjust his style, at least until he has a summer transfer market, in order to get the best out of what he has before potentially returning to his preferred method.
“Top managers are flexible. They go, you know what, I don’t really want to play this way, but I’ve got to play to the players’ strengths, and then when I can get my players in at the end of the season, I’ll go back to playing the way I want to play,” he said.
Despite their poor league position, United are still afloat in the FA Cup and Europa League but Merson believes United “won’t beat Real Sociedad” unless Amorim changes his ways.
However, Merson concluded that INEOS are likely to stick with the former Sporting coach but is adamant he must either change his system or get the relevant players in to make it work.
“I don’t think they will move Amorim on either. They don’t have the money to start all over again. They’ll have to go with this man. But my worry is, we all know that they can’t play three at the back, we know they’re all over the place,” he said
After the come from behind weekend draw against Everton, United are sitting in 15th place in the Premier League and know a victory in their next game against Ipswich should see them clear of any further talk of relegation from the division.
Amorim’s side will be desperate to put on a better performance in front of home support with Old Trafford becoming somewhat of a house of horrors in recent months.
An out-of-form Ipswich side should allow for United to secure a valuable three points but nothing is a given under the current state of affairs at Old Trafford.
Featured image Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Conner Botterill
Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for two years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology, Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.
