Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim insists he is willing to change his tactics, despite widespread criticism to the contrary.
Since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon, Amorim has consistently employed a 3-4-3 formation, a system that has divided opinion among critics.
Amorim’s methods earned him Premier League Manager of the Month in October, following a string of wins against Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton.
However, United’s start to November has been less convincing, with two draws and a notable defeat to Everton, who managed a 77-minute victory despite being reduced to ten men. Critics accused Amorim of stubbornness in that match, a charge he firmly disputes.
The Portuguese coach was also questioned about the possibility of returning to the “mobile attacking style” he favoured at Sporting Lisbon, where no striker had a fixed position and players constantly rotated across the front line.
Viktor Gyokeres, Sporting’s first-choice striker, was often asked to drift wide, link play, and drop deep.
Amorim highlighted that Manchester United has already displayed elements of fluid attacking football this season and stressed that he remains open to experimenting with new tactical approaches despite public scrutiny.
“We did it (changed our tactics) against Liverpool, it wasn’t with Bryan Mbeumo, it was with Cunha,” said Amorim, via the DAZN Portugal.
“And it’s an option that we have, and nowadays, everyone, I think not only in the English league but in the Portuguese league, in all leagues, there’s a great variation in how things are structured.
“We might say it’s a 4-4-2, but five minutes later it’s a 4-3-3 or a 3-4-3. And therefore I’m willing to do anything, contrary to what many people think that I’m too fixated on one thing.
“I simply start with a basic foundation, but obviously, we can use it in the future. And we’ve already thought about that with Bryan [playing central] because he’s very strong in transitions.
“I do think it’s the best position for him [out wide] because he likes to be hidden, he doesn’t like people watching him.
“He can attack, be more dangerous on one of the flanks, either the right or the left, rather than as a striker, but it’s a good option, therefore I’ll be able to use it in the future as I did several times at Sporting.”
