Man Utd chiefs' messages as Ruben Amorim pressure mounts amid tactical concerns

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Manchester United and Ruben Amorim 's tactics have been under the microscope due to on-pitch performances, but one particular incident this season prompted the club's hierarchy to take action.

Amorim was appointed as Erik ten Hag 's successor at Old Trafford in November 2024, but his tenure has been anything but smooth sailing. The Red Devils finished a disappointing 15th in the Premier League in the 2024/25 season and suffered defeat at the hands of Tottenham in the Europa League final.

This season has brought a glimmer of hope, despite an early Carabao Cup exit on penalties to Grimsby Town in August. Currently sitting sixth in the league and just three points shy of the top four, Champions League qualification is a realistic aim for this campaign.

Despite a slight upturn in results, performances continue to be a cause for concern. Amorim has staunchly defended his 3-4-3 system, which he also employed at Sporting CP, but there was a significant tactical shift last month when United hosted Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

In that match, Amorim opted for a more adaptable approach in an attempt to address his team's defensive frailties. The game ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw, and despite not securing all three points, Amorim received plaudits for his tactical adaptability, including several shrewd in-game changes, reports the Manchester Evening News .

However, if reports are accurate, the eventual shift in tactics stemmed from United's top brass believing the team needed to adopt a less predictable approach, triggered by remarks from rival teams. A weekend report from the Daily Mail reveals how a 1-1 stalemate against Fulham in August, where Amorim's side took an early lead only to concede a late leveller, left senior figures feeling frustrated.

Post-match observations from Marco Silva and Fulham's Alex Iwobi proved particularly worrying for United's leadership, including director of recruitment Christopher Vivell, who allegedly circulated the quotes in a WhatsApp group with other staff members.

"We knew how they defend and we know they like to squeeze from the back five," the Fulham manager revealed afterwards. "And if you don't give bodies for them to squeeze from the back five you can create superiority in the middle.

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"We know they play with two in the middle, we tried to overload with our three plus Alex [Iwobi]. It was as simple as that."

Iwobi then remarked during a television interview: "We knew that we would be able to get behind their two midfielders and that their centre backs would want to jump – we exploited that today."

United and Amorim maintained a four-at-the-back formation in their narrow 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day, but reverted to previous tactics in a disappointing 1-1 draw against bottom-of-the-league Wolves . The Red Devils' next match is on Sunday afternoon when they head off to face rivals Leeds United .

This is followed by an away game against Burnley and a third-round FA Cup tie with Brighton . However, all eyes are on the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on 17 January.

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