Rúben Amorim told the squad during the pre-Wolves meeting, "There will be changes."
The Manchester United manager avoided specifics but clearly hinted that a tactical overhaul was coming.
Amorim stated that Monday's trip to Molineux would proceed as usual, but stressed that after the match they would need to factor in the absences of Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad (Ivory Coast), and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), who are heading off to the African Cup of Nations next weekend.
The absence of these three players—who have covered the right flank multiple times this season in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 setup—has given Amorim and the coaching staff plenty to think about.
One option seems to be switching to a shape similar to a 4-3-3.
According to a club source who requested anonymity, a significant amount of today's (Monday) training time ahead of the Bournemouth match was dedicated to practicing the 4-3-3 formation.
This is partly because Amorim has been refining the 4-3-3 defensive system while Man Utd practiced their pressing tactics.
However, combining the message given to the squad before the Wolves match and his recent press conference remarks, it looks like he’s seriously contemplating a shift away from the back-three focused philosophy he’s stuck with.
Amorim has previously shown willingness for tactical shifts, but has always stressed that he looks for changes based on his own initiative, not in response to outside pressure.
Even so, this represents a major change.
About three months ago, prior to the Chelsea game, Amorim's team practiced the 4-3-3 formation in training, and they were often seen using this formation mid-game depending on the ball's position. The Manchester United youth team also occasionally switched from a 4-2-3-1 setup with a double pivot to using just one defensive midfielder.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6888643/2025/12/15/is-ruben-amorim-about-to-change-his-manchester-united-formation/?source=twitteruk
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