Just days after Erik ten Hag’s rather expected dismissal following a humbling defeat to West Ham United, Manchester United announced the signing of Ruben Amorim as their new manager.
The young tactician, mainly known for leading Sporting back to the forefront of Portuguese football, is now in charge at Man Utd and his first game will be against Ipswich on 24 November.
With Amorim’s appointment, United fans are already speculating about how he may line up the side with the players already at his disposal, as well as which players could arrive to fit his vision.
In this article, we take a look at exactly that, with our predictions on how Manchester United could line up under Amorim and which new faces may be targeted to join the squad during his tenure:
Preferred formation
Amorim has built a reputation for deploying a variation of a 3-4-2-1 formation, a system that has proved especially successful at Sporting CP, where it guided the team to two league titles under his tenure, first in 2020/21, breaking a title drought that stretched back to 2001/02, and again in 2023/24.
This is vastly different to the usual 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 that Manchester United fans and players have become accustomed to in recent years, but reports are suggesting that Amorim will refuse to switch from his preferred system.
Despite this, we believe that the three-defender system and tactical approach could actually help get the best out of some of these Man United stars, especially players such as Lisandro Martinez, Rasmus Hojlund and Manuel Ugarte.
Predicted XI
Our predicted line-up would see Andre Onana start in goal, with the keeper fitting Amorim’s system perfectly thanks to his fantastic ability on the ball. Martinez would start on the left side of the back three, and with an emphasis on the defenders to play splitting balls into attack, the Argentinian central defender seems to be the perfect fit.
Matthijs de Ligt could play through the centre and Leny Yoro on the right, with Diogo Dalot playing as the right wing-back and Alejandro Garnacho as the left wing-back. While Garnacho is a natural winger, Amorim often deploys one more attack-minded wing-back in his system, especially against lesser teams, and this could suit the wide man perfectly.
Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo look to be the obvious midfield partnership, with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes playing just behind the obvious choice of Hojlund, who shares many characteristics to the hugely successful Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting.
While this squad looks to be a fantastic match for Amorim, there are a number of players that could certainly be improved both technically and stylistically.
Will Amorim raid Sporting?
As already mentioned, Gyokeres has already been the subject of speculation surrounding a potential move in January to link back up with Amorim at Man United, with the striker perfect for pressing high and running the channels, something he could help teach Hojlund. This in addition to his unbelievable scoring record of 66 in 68 matches for Sporting.
Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande are two young central defenders who have also excelled at Sporting, with both extremely comfortable on the ball and often stepping into the midfield to help build through the middle.
Finally, Geovany Quenda has burst onto the scene for Sporting this season, with the 17-year-old winger starting eight league games and three UEFA Champions League games, usually from the right wing-back position. The immensely talented youngster has reportedly been on Man United’s shortlist since he was a youth talent, and this could prove the perfect chance to bring him to the Red Devils.
Ultimately, the best chance to see what positions Man United will target in the upcoming transfer markets will likely depend on who struggles to fit the vision of Amorim in their opening matches, games everyone is eager to see once the international break finishes.
Bet on the most markets in Nigeria for Amorim’s first match at Man Utd right here!
