Ruben Amorim, the head coach of Manchester United, says he hopes to have the opportunity to demonstrate how his system will change over time, but he maintains that not even the Pope will make him change it right now for fear of what the players will think of him.
“No, no, no,” he said. “Not once [have I thought about changing]. Not even the Pope [can make me], it will not change.”
Despite leading United to their worst Premier League start in thirty-three years and having the lowest win % of any United manager since World War II, Amorim has insisted he will continue to use his 3-4-2-1 system. Since Amorim was hired in November, United has accumulated the fewest points of any Premier League team ever, averaging one per game and having a -13 goal differential.
“I want Bruno to be more deep to have more possession to try and control more of the game. We are doing that. Sometimes we miss Bruno a little bit in front, maybe because (Matheus) Cunha is not there. I’m trying to balance the team and imagine the game.
“I see Bruno [doing] well. He’s frustrated because he’s not winning games. Sometimes he likes to go further but he has a job to do. The important thing is not Bruno playing well, it’s the team playing well and winning football games.”
Amorim believes the data is showing signs of improvement in the team’s performance. However, he also feels that his players are currently lacking the same level of belief and confidence that Liverpool demonstrate. He points out that Liverpool have been particularly effective in securing victories by scoring goals late in the game, which reflects their strong mentality and resilience-qualities that his team still needs to develop fully.
He said, “It’s belief, confidence, aggression. It’s everything. Sometimes what we call luck. It’s the way we play the game with more belief. “Liverpool are winning all the games in the 90th minute, it’s something about the teams that are winning to have that feeling that something is going to happen. Sometimes with us, I feel the opposite. We are playing well but something is going to go wrong.
“We need to change that but just with wins. If you look at the goals against Man City, Fulham, we scored against Burnley, we are good in the game but then we draw. All these moments I think we can do better. It’s our fault.”
Alejandro Garnacho made his highly anticipated return to Old Trafford for the first time since his high-profile £40 million transfer to Chelsea. His move was particularly notable given the circumstances leading up to it; Garnacho had been informed that he could leave Manchester United at the end of last season.
Adding to the drama, he was notably absent from training with manager Rúben Amorim’s first-team squad during the pre-season period, signaling that his departure was imminent. His return to Old Trafford marks a significant moment, as it is the first time he has set foot back at his former club’s stadium since making the switch to their Premier League rivals in a blockbuster deal.
Asked if the transfer could backfire on Man Utd, Amorim said: “I’m not concerned about that. I just want to win games. I don’t care who is playing for the opponent, [or] what people are going to say in the end if the player plays well. They are good players and they play well if things happen. My only focus is winning the game.”
