“Sometimes you have to adapt, but at that moment there is no tactic,” Ruben Amorim said after Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Newcastle. He reacted by admitting that he had adopted a back six towards the end of the game.
The repaired side held out, with Patrick Dorg and Diogo Dalot playing in front of the full-backs in a six-man defence. Of course, the fact that Amorim was playing in a back four was fascinating and showed that his team was evolving tactically.
There was a time in the past when he wouldn’t have tolerated such things, but he feels a bit more encouraged now that he’s been able to adjust from a position of relative strength by moving United up to fifth place – and could move even further up the table before a difficult 2025 is over.
Manchester United moves into 5th place in the Premier League
But that increased confidence has more to do with the team’s unity than just the result, which owes as much to the victory as it did to the formation. Amorim agreed that it was one of the most satisfying victories in that sense.
“I think we need to feel that we can win without playing that well, that we can win with spirit and team unity,” he said of his young team defending every cross and putting their bodies on the line.
“We were in a lot of pain,” he explained. “We were just trying to survive,” he said of the final moments against Newcastle, which may sum up his time at the club so far. But they got through it. Maybe Amorim will get through it all too.
Why did Amorim take so long?
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Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher reflect on Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United
Ginny Boswell from Sky Sports:
Amorim finally changed their formation and the back four achieved their first clean sheet in almost three months. After stubbornly sticking to one form for more than a year, many are left wondering why it took him so long, and rightfully so.
He warmed up his players with a back three to create surprises with maximum impact. It was quite a shock when United lined up at kick-off. This was the first time Amorim started with a back four.
Amorim explained his thoughts in a post-match interview with Sky Sports: “We felt that was the only way to create more danger and get more chances by playing with a back four with more players inside.”
But the question arises: why now? This wasn’t the first game like this.
The change becomes even more interesting when you hear Amorim’s comments about Dorg scoring against Newcastle and how he has benefited from playing as a winger rather than a wing-back.
“When you put him in a more forward position, the responsibility isn’t the same and he has more freedom to lose the ball. I think that helped Patrick play better.”
Amorim’s analysis is uncontroversial. This was perhaps Dorg’s best performance in a United shirt. But that in itself and the head coach’s admission of it brings us back to the question earlier.
Patrick Dorg celebrates Manchester United’s lead against Newcastle
These are points that onlookers have been making since Mr. Amorim took the job more than a year ago. What would have happened if I had listened sooner? It makes me think.
Dorgu’s development will raise questions about how other better players could have performed differently. Brian Mbeumo and Amad Diallo come to mind for the right wing position. It certainly seems like a more natural fit for Amado than a wing-back.
But perhaps their return from AFCON will mark the end of the experiment. There is no clear announcement as to how long this will last.
It’s unclear what Amorim plans for the long term after spending so much time defending his path. If he were to go back on his word now and move away from playing exclusively with a back three, it would seem almost foolish in some ways, although it is entirely necessary.
But surely the bottom line for Amorim must be that the previous position of having one form and sticking to it, regardless of the personnel or the state of the match, is a mistake that should not be repeated.
Thanks to Amorim’s flexibility, we are seeing real signs of improvement. That’s what he should stick to.
Keane: Manchester United must kick off after ‘ugly’ win
Roy Keane of Sky Sports:
“We’ve seen big wins for Man United, especially from a defensive point of view, winning ugly games and keeping clean sheets,” said the former Man United captain.
“You have to take pride in your defense. It’s an ugly win, but it’s a big one.
“The goal was great, it was a special goal, but if we want to progress we need to be solid defensively. It’s a start in terms of momentum for the young players, but we have to find something.”
“It’s about digging into the results. The teams I played for didn’t play well every week, but they did their best. They’ve got to kick off now.”
Kara: The change in shape feels good.
Speaking after Manchester United’s first half, Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said:
“It feels right (the change in form) for Man United. We’ve seen something different in recent weeks.
“Tonight, with or without the ball, we had a back four at the back and midfield. Oddly enough, Newcastle were forced into a back five! They were really good.”
