Ruben Amorim has claimed “not even the pope” could make him deviate from his 3-4-3 formation, despite Manchester United’s poor start to the season.
Amorim has drawn criticism for sticking rigidly to one system after a start to the season in which United have taken four points from four league games, suffered a shock exit from the Carabao Cup after a second-round defeat to Grimsby, and generally performed poorly. The Portuguese has insisted throughout that run that he is not for turning, a message he reiterated in emphatic, dramatic fashion prior to Chelsea’s visit to Old Trafford this evening.
“Not even the pope will change [my thinking on] this. This is my responsibility. This is my life,” he said. “If I’m a player and I have a coach that with a lot of pressure all around the world is being told: ‘You need to change the system’ and I’m going to change – they [the players] will look at me in a different way. So, I will not change that, but there will be an evolution. But we need to make all the good steps [first].”
Benjamin Sesko is yet to score in five United appearances since his £73.5m summer arrival from RB Leipzig. In part that has been down to a lack of service, something that also held back Rasmus Højlund prior to the Denmark striker’s loan move to Napoli. Amorim, however, is unconcerned about history repeating itself: “If you remember Arsenal [in the opening game of the season] we missed a lot [of chances]. Burnley, we missed a lot. Fulham in the beginning, we missed a lot”.
Amorim did admit a lack of service to the striker was an issue in last weekend’s 3-0 loss at Manchester City, Sesko’s first start for United. “Against City, Sesko looks like he’s alone in the box, I agree,” said the head coach. “In the final third we get there many times [but] when I look at the box, Ben was alone. We cannot score in that way. But [overall] I think it’s not the same team in that department compared to last year.”
Amorim also defended deploying Bruno Fernandes in midfield. “I want Bruno deeper, to have more possession, to try to control the game more. And we are doing that,” he said. “Sometimes we miss Bruno a little bit up front. Maybe because [Mathues] Cunha is not there. But if Cunha is there, we have one extra player.”
Meanwhile, Amorim has revealed he received a show of support from Sir Jim Ratcliffe after Manchester United’s co-owner flew in for a meeting on Thursday.
The Portuguese met Ratcliffe after he arrived at United’s Carrington training ground in a helicopter, along with the chief executive, Omar Berrada, and the football director, Jason Wilcox, and insisted the discussions were positive. “He was offering me a new contract,” joked Amoim of Ratcliffe. “[No], it’s normal things, just to show the support. Explaining that it’s a long project. He said many times: ‘This is my third season.’ For me it’s not. I spoke with him, with Omar, with Jason. Just trying to see all the data around the team. So a normal meeting and we had several, but at this moment it’s normal people pay attention to that.”
Sir Alex Ferguson (top left) behind Jason Wilcox, who is next to Omar Berrada and then Sir Jim Ratcliffe, during Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat at City on 14 September. Photograph: David Blunsden/Action Plus/Shutterstock
Amorim acknowledged he has to win more matches. “This is football and this is the club with more pressure in the world,” the 40-year-old said. “But we want to win. Last year I was very critical of the way we play. [This year] we are playing well until the boxes. Defending and attacking. We need to be more aggressive in the boxes. We need to be more clinical.
“The rest I think we are improving. Comparing to last year we are in a better place. But again we need to win. We lost against Arsenal and we lost against City. And here losing, especially in the beginning after last season [finishing 15th], is a problem.”
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Speaking at a 40th anniversary gala dinner for the Association of Manchester United Players, Wilcox indicated the pressure the executive is under. “I just pray that we get the opportunity to turn it around and I really feel that it’s not will we win again, it’s when we’ll win again,” he said. “It has been a rollercoaster. I came in last April, around 18 months ago, and it’s been a real challenge – I can’t lie.
“I thought the club was in a much better place than it was. We had no football identity, we lacked alignment between ownership, the CEO, football and the academy and we’ve just been working so hard behind the scenes.”
Amorim will have Cunha and Mason Mount available for the game against Chelsea and he brushed aside questions regarding Alejandro Garnacho’s return to the venue. The winger joined Chelsea for £40m last month.
“Garnacho is not our player,” said Amorim. “I’m focused on our players – I’m really happy with Mase and Cunha returning. That is my focus. And the rest you have to talk with the Chelsea manager.”