why Ruben Amorim can't do it with Manchester United

It's a mountain that presents itself against Manchester United FC. This Sunday afternoon (5:30 p.m.), the Red Devils – who are at a worrying 14^e place in the standings and who have just suffered three defeats in a row – travel to the pitch of Liverpool FC, the only Premier League leader with only one defeat on the clock since the start of the season…and which remains on a series of four consecutive victories all competitions combined. On paper, this shock of the 20^e English championship day appears completely unbalanced. However, the Mancunian team must absolutely leave Anfield with a positive result so as not to sink a little further – if that is possible – into crisis.

A defense that is far too feverish

The task promises to be difficult as Ruben Amorim – whose arrival on November 11 from Sporting CP raised a lot of hopes – has been struggling to make his mark for three months. Among the problems facing the Portuguese coach, we find firstly the defense…which is too permeable to hope for anything. In the eleven matches he managed on the Mancunian bench, his team conceded…twenty-one goals, or almost two per match. Worse, she only kept clean sheets once, on 1^is last December against Everton FC (4-0).

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However, the Lusitano technician – who has set up his traditional three-way defense – has several very high level players in this sector of play including Matthijs de Ligt, Lenny Yoro, Lisandro Martínez and even the whimsical but no less efficient Harry Maguire. The reality is that the problem is more collective than individual. The Manchester United FC version of Ruben Amorim lacks balance, a bit like that of Erik ten Hag. It is perhaps (probably?) the fault of the system he established, the 3-4-2-1 – with its atypical animation – which is not so common in England. The fact remains that it is his choice and that he must find solutions to allow his team to be more solid.

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An attack in slow motion

Another major problem for Ruben Amorim: the Mancunian attack has been slow since the end of last year. Indeed, the Red Devils have gone three matches without scoring a single goal…And yet, they have faced teams well within their reach, such as AFC Bournemouth (0-3) or Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (2-0). None of the offensive elements managed to really stand out under the Portuguese, with the exception of promising youngster Amad Diallo, who has established himself as a starter in recent weeks. The Dane Rasmus Højlund, bought at a high price a year and a half ago – €73.9 million – continues to disappoint; he has only scored two goals this season and only one since the change of coach. The Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee, recruited last summer, is barely better with three goals on the clock, including two in recent weeks. Insufficient for players of their caliber…and compared to the level of demands expected at Manchester United FC.

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Furthermore, Marcus Rashford has been nothing more than a shadow of himself in recent months and is being pushed out this winter while Alejandro Garnacho lost his starting place with the arrival of Ruben Amorim, undoubtedly in due to his pure winger profile which does not suit the new system put in place. One thing is certain, to try to obtain victory against Liverpool FC, the Red Devils will certainly need to regain offensive efficiency. Will the Portuguese coach manage to put his attackers in good conditions? Answer this Sunday early evening.