Skip to content
GO TO bet365 Sports
  1. Football
  2. Premier League

What to expect from Ruben Amorim: Tactics, play style, formation

With Manchester United appointing Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP to take over from Erik ten Hag, we look at what the Portuguese head coach could bring to Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim achievements and trophies

In 2002, Sporting won their 18th Portuguese league title. At that time, they were level with rivals Porto and 12 behind all-time leaders Benfica. But a 19-year drought followed, with Porto and Benfica establishing a duopoly as Sporting were left behind.

At the start of Amorim's first season, Porto were on 29 titles with Benfica on 37, but in that debut campaign, Amorim would guide the Leões to the title, losing just one game all season - away to Benfica after the title was already wrapped up. That the the title was won after losing Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United in the winter of the previous campaign makes the feat even more impressive.

All the more remarkable is how little time Amorim had actually spent in senior management prior to moving to the capital. Amorim's first job came with Braga where he won his first game 7-1 and would beat Porto in the Taça de Liga final. Just 13 games into his stint with Braga, Sporting CP came calling and off he went.

Amorim would lift the Taça de Liga in each of his first two seasons with Sporting as well as the league title in that superb maiden campaign, but with Porto and Benfica strengthening and Sporting rebuilding, Amorim's third season saw his side finish a disappointing fourth, though he would triumph over Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in the Europa League.

Nevertheless, they bounced back from domestic disappointment to win a second title under Amorim last season, amassing 90 points to finish 10 clear of Benfica and 18 clear of Porto, winning 29 of their 34 league games.

Portugal's big three clubs are often noted for their success in the transfer market, buying young, raw talents without splashing the cash and flogging them for big money to Europe's bigger clubs; in Amorim's time in Lisbon, Sporting have lost Matheus Nunes, Nuno Mendes, Joao Palhinha, Pedro Porro and Manuel Ugarte, all while making a profit of nearly £200m. While Manchester United won't look to take a similar approach in the transfer market, the club desperately needs a manager who can make players better.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson left, despite all the hundreds of millions of pounds spent, only Fernandes can say he's significantly improved his reputation since moving to Old Trafford, with a number of expensive players leaving fans underwhelmed, including Jadon Sancho, Antony, Fred, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mason Mount.

It's not just in the transfer market where Amorim has had an impact, but on the training ground too, with Nunes, Mendes and Goncalo Inacio all breaking through from the Sporting academy in recent years.

Of course, the biggest question over Amorim is whether or not he can translate his success to a different league. Ten Hag dominated the Eredivisie with Ajax where his players were typically levels above that of the opposition, but struggled to implement that same dominance in England.

Ruben Amorim formation

Ruben Amorim largely deployed a 3-4-3 formation with Sporting CP, using wing-backs and three centre-backs, and although it's not necessarily the formation he'll use when moving to Old Trafford as he adapts to his new squad, it's expected he will look to move to that in time.

His three forwards haven't been traditional wide players, opting to play more centrally, operating behind a lone striker.

Ruben Amorim tactics and philosophy

It was suggested that the new INEOS team wanted a manager who would play a high-pressing, possession-based style of football, and they should have that in Amorim.

Amorim has preferred a man-to-man press in his time in Portugal with all players expected to work hard defensively, each playing a key role within the pressing system.

Amorim also uses a high defensive line, and while that wasn't used as much under Ten Hag, it was under previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and he'll require his centre-backs to be comfortable in possession.

One of the biggest issues for Ten Hag was his inability to use Marcus Rashford effectively, certainly from the start of his second season onwards. The England forward was often deployed on the touchline, unable to consistently impact games, but Amorim would likely prefer Rashford more centrally, using his wing-backs to stretch the opposition and create space.

Who will play under Ruben Amorim?

There are unlikely to be significant changes to United's side following the appointment of Amorim. If everybody is fit, the Portuguese may opt to use a 4-2-3-1 in the early stages of his reign, which could read: Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund.

Over time, as Amorim shifts to his preferred 3-4-3, Onana will remain in goal with De Ligt and Martinez in defence. Shaw could make up the third member of a back three, supporting a left-wing-back - likely to be Mazraoui or Dalot, or Leny Yoro could occupy the third centre-back spot with Shaw operating as left-wing-back. United will likely look for a quicker centre-back to complement Amorim's high line with none of Martinez, Harry Maguire or De Ligt blessed with pace.

Dalot or Mazraoui would then operate as a right-wing-back with Ugarte as the traditional #6. Mainoo will likely be the long-term #8, though Fernandes may also be deployed there at times. Garnacho and Rashford would vie for at least one of the attacking spots, with Joshua Zirkzee and Fernandes perhaps preferred as the supporting forward behind Hojlund, who'll likely operate as the lone frontman.

Related Articles

bet365 uses cookies

We use cookies to deliver a better and more personalised service. For more information, see our Cookie Policy

New to bet365? Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets Join Now

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.