Manchester United, under the leadership of Ruben Amorim, is currently facing a challenging time. Liverpool, their upcoming opponent, is the heavy favorite for Sunday's game. This has left many associated with Old Trafford feeling out of ideas and dreading the fixture.
Amorim's tenure so far has been marked by worsening conditions rather than improvements. Despite numerous changes in players and coaches since Alex Ferguson's departure, nothing seems to have halted the steady decline of the club. The latest chapter in Manchester United’s history feels particularly bleak. Amorim hasn't managed to produce a new manager bounce while Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s radical overhaul at boardroom level has only led to morale-draining cutbacks and increased restrictions on working from home.
Despite these challenges, appointing Amorim was seen as a bet on something different. The former Sporting manager arrived with a specific tactical blueprint that he hoped would turn things around for Manchester United. However, this approach hasn't yielded positive results so far. This raises questions about how long patience can be extended towards an unproductive philosophy or when it might be time to settle on a new identity for the club.
Neville suggests a change in tactics
Gary Neville believes that time may already be running out for Amorim ahead of his meeting with Liverpool. He suggests that Amorim might soon feel compelled to abandon his three-at-the-back principles and follow in Louis van Gaal’s footsteps:
Gary Neville, Manchester United legend, said:
"He should stick with it but the only thing I would say is he did mention he needs to get results, If you remember Louis van Gaal when he first came to United, it felt like he signed about three or four left-sided defenders to play that sort of wing-back system because he played it with Holland.
"He ended up changing it to a back four in about six to eight weeks and it seemed to change very quickly. So I just wonder whether the more he says this, the more he gets the results that he's getting.
"If the results continue as they are there may come a point where he has to change or do something slightly different because obviously United can't go any lower than they currently are. They would be in danger of relegation."
This suggestion indicates how stale things have become at Old Trafford since Van Gaal left his mark there.
Potential impact of changing tactics
Amorim was brought into Manchester United as an attempt to inject new life into the club. If he were to abandon his playing style for the Liverpool match, just months into his tenure, it could send a message of desperation.
However, Neville suggests that this might be necessary if the alternative is a genuine relegation battle. All options currently seem unattractive for Manchester United, and recreating a short-term bounce from Van Gaal's tenure might be as good as it gets.
The future of Manchester United under Ruben Amorim remains uncertain. While there are no easy solutions in sight, Gary Neville's suggestion offers an interesting perspective on how Amorim could potentially navigate these challenging times. Whether or not he chooses to follow this advice will undoubtedly have significant implications for the club’s future.
