Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim defended his tactical approach on Friday and insisted that his frequent 3-4-2-1 system is not the fault of the team’s struggles while preparing for his 50th match responsible against promoted Sunderland.
The Portuguese faces increasing pressure after United drops in the Premier League in the 14th in the Premier League with two victories from six games after last weekend’s 3-1 loss in Brentford, brought Great Wayne Rooney to say that he had no confidence in Amorim to turn things around.
With United already from the League Cup and not having qualified for Europe after the 15th place of last season, the pressure on Amorim is to deliver in the competition where it is already eight points on drift from leader Liverpool.
‘Last season does not matter’
«You can’t run away from the results and then your luggage last season. But last season I don’t matter. We had six games this season and we lost three. We have to watch the matches we lost,» Amorim told reporters.
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“I am not saying that this team would play better in another system or not, that is not my point. My point is that when I look back on the games we have lost, the most important thing when I don’t watch the game, that we have lost because of the system.
«That’s my opinion. People have different opinions, that’s okay.»
While the United team is still coming to terms with the philosophy of Amorim, the manager admitted that the performance in Brentford was ‘incoherent’, but argued that inconsistency was the root problem instead of tactics.
«You can’t say one thing that doesn’t work if it works on one weekend and in the other weekend it doesn’t work. If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t work every day,» he added.
«If it works one day and not the other, it works very well the next day, it is something about the way we do the same. So we have to do the same in the same way, and we don’t do that.»
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Asked if he had a message for the fans to give them hope for a victory in Old Trafford on Saturday, Amorim said: «It’s not time to say, it’s time to show.»
Amorim says Sunderland has a clear identity
Amorim was generous in his praise for the French boss of Sunderland Regis Le Bris, who led his side to fifth place in the rankings after six games, four points behind Liverpool.
«It is a team that plays very well. It is a clear system with many rotations on the side of the field. They know that we will be under pressure and that we must be able to play with that,» Amorim said.
«It is not only the table and all the results that are most important, but the way they play. They have a clear identity. It is a very good manager and a very good team.»
United will also keep a minute of silence and wear black bracelets after Thursday’s attack on a synagogue in Manchester in which two men were killed.
Published on October 3, 2025
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