Manchester United are currently in the lower half of the Premier League and have finished last season.
Released on October 3, 2025
Manchester United boss Reuben Amorim defended his tactical approach and insisted that his highly critical 3-4-2-1 system would not blame the team’s struggle as he prepares for his 50th match against Sunderland, where he was promoted.
The Portuguese increased the pressure after United came in 14th in the Premier League after a 3-1 loss at Brentford last weekend, and after club Great Wayne Rooney said Amorim didn’t turn things around, they fell to 14th with two wins from six games.
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With United already out of the League Cup and failing to qualify for Europe following their 15th place finish last season, Amorim is already putting pressure on deliveries in the league, which is the drifting of leader Liverpool, with 8 points.
“You can’t miss your baggage after running away from the results from last season. But last season doesn’t matter to me. We’ve had six games this season and we lost three. We have to see the games we’ve lost,” Amorim told reporters Friday.
“I’m not saying if this team plays better in another system. That’s not my point. My point is, looking back at the games we’ve lost, the most important thing when looking at the game is not that we’ve lost because of the system.
“That’s my opinion. People have different opinions. That’s fine.”
While United’s team still agrees with Amorim’s philosophy, the manager acknowledged that his performance on his part at Brentford was “splitting,” but argued that contradictions, not tactics, were the underlying issue.
“It works one weekend and it doesn’t work when it doesn’t work on the other weekend. When something goes wrong, it doesn’t work every day,” he added.
“When it’s working someday and it’s not, it works really well again, it’s something about how we do the same thing. So we need to do the same thing the same way every day and we’re not doing it.”
Amorim was asked if there was a message to tell fans that they wanted a victory at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Amorim praised Sunderland’s French boss, Regis Le Bliss.
“It’s a team that plays really well. It’s a clear system with a lot of rotation on the side of the pitch. They know we’re under pressure and need to be able to play with it,” Amorim said.
“The most important thing is not just the table and all the outcomes, but the way they play. They have a clear identity. It’s a very good manager and a very good team.”
United will also hold a minute of silence and wear a black armband following Thursday’s attack at the Manchester synagogue where two men were killed.
