How can Manchester United line up under Ruben Amorim?

Reliable sources, including The Athletic's David Ornstein, report that Manchester United have contacted Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim to replace Ten Hag, and a deal looks imminent. Here’s a brief introduction to who he is and how Manchester United can line up under him.

Who is Ruben Amorim?

Ruben Amorim is a name that has been making headlines around the football world for a couple of years now. The 39-year-old is currently in charge of Sporting CP. After an impressive stint at Braga, he won the Taca Da Liga in 2020. Sporting immediately pounced and paid a compensation fee of around €10 million to secure Amorim's services and appoint him as the manager. At that time, the Portuguese was the third most expensive manager ever due to the hefty fee required for his signature. 

Sporting made history under the young tactician, winning the domestic double in his first season.  They also broke their 19-year league title drought and finally abolished FC Porto and Benfica's dominance over the past 20 years. They almost went invinicble but eventually lost to Benfica in a 4-3 thriller (May 2021)

Amorim was named Manager of the Season for the 2020/21 campaign and was richly praised throughout the football world for his success and tactical style of play. He won Liga Portugal again in the 2023/24 season, and his side are favourites to successfully defend their title. They have started the season flawlessly, winning all nine league games and scoring a remarkable 30 goals with just two conceded.

Could Ruben Amorim's Manchester United links tamper Sporting's form and rhythm? Knowing that the manager could leave with just nine games in? That's something that is yet to be witnessed. 

How Ruben Amorim could tactically set up Manchester United

With Ruben Amorim's growing reputation, he has been touted as the potential long-term replacement for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. The Premier League champions reportedly believe that the Portuguese possess the perfect tactical mindset to take over from the Spanish mastermind and continue to dominate England, per The Guardian. Before Liverpool appointed Arne Slot, Amorim was first in line to replace Jurgen Klopp, who resigned at last season's end. Still, the Portuguese opted to continue at Sporting. This demonstrates how in demand the young manager is, and Manchester United might hit the jackpot if they manage to appoint him. 

Amorim's preferred formation is a 3-4-3. It's a not-famous formation in England, as managers often go with a traditional back four instead. In the 3-4-3, Amorim emphasizes primarily a possession-based style, where they would build up from the back and play their way out of the press. His teams are highly organized and balanced; they also tend to work hard out of possession, which Manchester United has needed to improve over the years. The back three consists of center backs with high passing ranges and the ability to break the lines. Sometimes, a center-back drifts into midfield to create more passing options, allowing his side to be very fluid in buildups. The wingbacks usually don't help in the buildup as their coach focuses on progression through the middle of the pitch instead of using width during the buildup, but they will help out if the team is under pressure. 

The midfield pivot consists of two midfielders who are very strong defensively and can help the defense whenever possible. This also means one drops back into the back three to cover up, shifting into a back four. The other is a box-to-box midfielder who dictates the pace of the game and is usually a number 6 with a very high football IQ and a good reading of the game. The box-to-box not only helps out in defense but also gives a variety of attacking options as well.

Amorim's attacking phase often changes depending on the opposition. He could go with the 3-4-3 with wide attacking players, but in some cases, he could shift to a 3-4-2-1 if the opposition plays a deep block. The 3-4-2-1 would have two number 8s or number 10s behind the striker who would help create chances, and the wingbacks would push further up the field to provide width. The Portuguese tactician's teams are impressive, especially in sports, which create chances and finish them off due to the tactical variety the manager inherits. Manchester United has been known for missing chances, eventually leading them to drop points. This could be where Amorim's expertise might be helpful for the Red Devils.