Manchester United have released footage of Ruben Amorim’s first training session as the Red Devils’ boss, and some believe it provides an insight into the setup to be expected from him.
Much has been made of the back-three system the 39-year-old coach used at Sporting; a similar structure to the one that appeared to be on display in the Carrington footage.
It remains to be seen exactly how Amorim – ranked the 11th best manager in the world right now by FourFourTwo – sets his team up in his first Premier League test away at Ipswich Town, but this sneak preview has already set tongues wagging.
Amorim appears to drop hint at back-three setup to come for Manchester United
The video, standing at almost seven minutes, was clearly designed to give United fans a strong flavour of what was to come at the weekend.
It shows an ‘attack-versus-defence’ style exercise, starting with Leny Yoro – who has been injured since taking a knock in pre-season not long after signing for the club – Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw passing the ball around in what appears to be a back three.
Flanking either side of the core defensive unit looks to be Antony, in a relatively new wingback position for the Brazilian, and another recent returnee in Tyrell Malacia.
Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo – ranked sixth in our list of most exciting teenagers – make up the deeper midfield unit, with Mason Mount and Amad tucked in slightly further forward and Marcus Rashford leading the line.
A number of the Red Devils’ squad are still away on international duty, so there is no sense that this will be Amorim’s confirmed line-up to face the Tractor Boys.
But the video does seem to provide a strong suggestion that the new manager is looking to mould the squad in his image, rather than adapting his ideals around his inherited players.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Amorim will be wise to stick to the overarching principles that served him so well at Sporting and earned him the gig at United – as he appears to be doing.
Aside from the style shift that is exciting fans, a similarly massive boost is seeing all of Shaw, Malacia, Yoro, Mainoo and Mount back in team training after varying but significant spells on the sideline.
A new dawn arrives at United this Sunday at Portman Road, joining an array of Premier League action following the conclusion of this year’s final international break.
