Tactical analysis: Amorim must employ these three decisions to lead United to victory over Palace in this grueling showdown

Manchester United face the tough assignment of travelling to London this afternoon to take on Crystal Palace. Currently sixth in the Premier League, Palace have been a formidable team this season, with victory for Ruben Amorim and his players far from guaranteed. Still, Man United will be in with a shot of coming away with some vital points away from home if they make these crucial tactical decisions. Keep up the pressure Last weekend, United fell to a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Everton, who scored despite losing a man to a red card. The final score did not tell the full story, however. United showcased a highly attacking performance, taking 25 shots on goal, eight of which came from the edge of the box and even further out. (Sofascore) United’s inability to score came as a result of a remarkable performance by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. While the final score frustrated many United fans, there was little else that Amorim’s men could have tried in order to break the deadlock, apart from getting more shots on target. In the matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, United scored a combined four goals despite taking fewer shots. Unfortunately, this is just how things go sometimes, and the team must not take their foot off the gas when attacking against Palace. The odds show that when United attack with their usual venom in recent times, they generally score. This means that Amorim’s men should refrain from trying anything fancy or attempting to shift their mentality when going on the attack. Still, there is something that Amorim can do to make his attacking lineup more effective. Focus on formation When Everton went down to ten men last weekend, Amorim maintained his existing formation with three at the back. This seemed highly unnecessary as the visitors did not have the attacking strength to threaten United as they normally could. It would have been the perfect time for Amorim to switch his formation up, or perhaps shift his wing-backs up and use them more as wingers. Unfortunately, he failed to do so, and this can be seen by his next mistake, which will be outlined in the next point. Make smarter substitutions Soon after the half-time break, Amorim decided to replace Noussair Mazraoui with Mason Mount. This was understandable, as he knew that more attacking momentum was needed to up the pressure against Everton. In the 58th minute, however, he made a bizarre double switch. Amorim took off Patrick Dorgu for Diogo Dalot, which was a downgrade to put it bluntly. Dalot has been in poor form and does not have the pace or attacking instinct of Dorgu. This was a poor move at a point where more energy was needed. What’s more, he decided to bring on Kobbie Mainoo for Casemiro. While Mainoo has great capabilities, he has enjoyed little playing time this season and has thus not his top form. Taking off an in-form player who clearly has his eye in for another who clearly does not have his eye in due to his limited playing time was a poor decision at such a crucial time in the match when United needed to find a goal and quickly. Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee remained on the pitch for 90 minutes despite his disappointing performance. His inability to connect well with the ball cost United dearly, and had it been a front three of Mount, Bryan Mbeumo, and Amad Diallo instead, things could have been very different. Smart game management made all the difference in United’s loss to Everton, and it could be just as crucial today. Amorim must make sure that he pays special attention to his formation and substitution choices when taking on an in-form Palace this afternoon. Furthermore, maintaining United’s approach to attacking will be key, especially given the team’s general success in this regard in recent times. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.