Manchester United have “seen it all” and “won the lot”. With 13 Premier League titles, 13 FA Cups and 3 Champions Leagues, they are one of the most successful clubs in world football. But after Sir Alex Ferguson bid his farewell to the club in 2013, United have since plunged into a decade of turmoil.
Billions have been spent on transfers, managers and wages, yet the club is still in search for their first Premier League title in the post-Ferguson era. But with Ruben Amorim now the next manager to take the reins of United, can he return them to their former glory?
When interim manager Ralf Rangnick left the club in 2022, he imaginatively described United as in desperate need of open heart surgery, echoing Jose Mourinho’s comments back in 2019 who, after his departure, indicated there was a fundamental lack of structure in the club. Appearing as a guest on beIN Sports, Mourinho said: “The coach nowadays needs a structure, he needs a club organised in a certain way.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS acquisition of a 25% minority stake in February 2024, putting them in charge of football operations, led many fans to believe that United had finally found the solution to the structural issues many managers had blamed their failure on.
Ratcliffe’s structural overhaul certainly looks promising, with the appointment of a new CEO (Omar Berrada), a technical director (Jason Wilcox) and a sporting director (Dan Ashworth), certainly bringing class to the executive department.
But this elitism needs to be reflected on the field, with Ratcliffe believing that Amorim is the man to do just that.
Erik ten Hag, who became United’s manager in 2022, had looked to turn his fortune around after winning an FA cup title in the 23/24 season which otherwise would have been one to forget. However, he kicked off the 24/25 season in a rather miserable fashion, eventually leading him to being sacked in October, paving the way for Amorim to be his successor.
Amorim inherited a team which found themselves 12th in the Premier League, as well as having a dismal Europa League campaign so far, with Ten Hag failing to win a single game in Europe.
Can Amorim turn United’s season around or is this too much to ask?
Amorim has certainly made his mark already in Europe. Having won the league title in his very first season (20/21) with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, hereby ending their 19 year title drought, Amorim is no stranger in guiding a club back to the top spot.
He has made it clear that he aims to bring an ‘identity’ to Manchester United, which they have undoubtedly lost over the last 10 years. In his first interview for MUTV, he said: “Since day one, we will start with our identity.”
Amorim’s football is possession based, often favouring a back three which play a high line, enabling a team to play out from the back. This is certainly a huge change to adapt to for the struggling United side, who are used to playing a back four and often find themselves doing a lot more defending than attacking.
This change in playing style was perhaps too much to handle for the United players, with Amorim seeing his first game with United end in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich, a newly promoted side currently facing relegation. United failed to gain control of the game, instead playing direct balls which caused them to look scrappy in possession.
Furthermore, they failed to put into the play the collective identity that Amorim relies upon. When United’s forwards would press, the defenders more often than not failed to go with them, which led to far too much open space within the midfield.
Next up for United was FK Bodo/Glimt, a top Norwegian side who certainly brought the fight to Amorim’s team. The new manager was eager to impress the theatre of dreams with the first win in their Europa League campaign.
The first half looked very much like the Ipswich game, with the United defence struggling to keep up with the sharpness of the Norwegian side, being caught in transition not once but twice. However, the second half was a different story, with Amorim changing his formation from a back three to a back four when United were out of possession. This tactical change paid off for Amorim with United coming away with a marginal 3-2 victory.
Both the defence and the midfield looked far more comfortable both on and off the ball. The change in formation created a narrower midfield, which in turn allowed United to have more control on the tempo and pace of the game. The second half wasn’t exactly a masterclass, but it certainly showed signs of promise for Amorim’s team who are trying hard to adapt to this new system.
Last weekend saw United storm to victory in their 4-0 win against Everton on Sunday, showcasing the true potential of the team under Amorim’s wing. The new United manager made six changes from the Europa league game against Bodo/Glimt in an effort to seek out his best 11. One player who certainly proved to flourish under Amorim’s system is Amad Diallo, who bagged himself two assists.
One could argue that he fits Amorim’s ideal playing style, operating as a wingback who can press forward as well as having the ability to track back. The intensity that Amad displayed for the full 90 minutes is what Amorim will be expecting from all his players going forward.
The big test for Amorim will be on Wednesday 4th December, where United will go head to head against Arsenal, who are currently second in the Premier League. With Arsenal routinely dominant in possession, their attacking threat is one United must contain in order to have a chance of putting attacks together themselves.
All in all, Manchester United are beginning to build momentum for the first time this season. Amorim’s system is a work in progress, but it is a system that has defined his successful career, and so with time, it may prove to be the very thing United have been looking for all along.