…The success that he’s had has been based on that system…” Jamie Carragher believes Amorim should stick to his style 

Ruben Amorim, who was praised for his work at Sporting CP, joined United to help them out of a tough situation. However, after six months, they are still in a fix.

United are currently in 14th place in the Premier League and just suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Newcastle. They have lost 14 league games this season, making their domestic chances seem almost impossible. Now, the team’s focus is on the Europa League.

Former Liverpool defender and prominent pundit Carragher has cautioned against pressuring Amorim to abandon his footballing philosophy. He insisted that if United brought Amorim on board knowing his reliance on a back-three, it would make little sense to ask him to abandon it now.

“It took a bit of time, obviously, for the system,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “People are still yet to be convinced by that, is that the right decision? Not actually from him, by the club for employing him because he came with that system, that’s his DNA. People keep saying, ‘oh, he’s got to change the system.’

“I don’t really see it like that because his whole managerial career and the success that he’s had has been based on that system, that’s what he knows. If he goes to something else, they might as well change the manager.”

One major issue has been Amorim’s commitment to a three-at-the-back formation. This strategy worked well in Portugal, but it hasn’t brought success in England. They signed Patrick Dorgu in January to improve the wing-back position, but the attackers are struggling to perform within this system. Fans are calling for him to change his tactics, especially as the team continues to struggle.

Carragher also emphasized the challenging context surrounding Amorim’s appointment and believes that the manager should be the last person to be blamed for the mess United find themselves in.

“I think Amorim is probably at the end of that queue if you like. You’d have to look at the ownership and the players there. He’s going into a really difficult situation,” he said.

“We have to remember he didn’t want to take the job right away. He wanted to come in the summer. In a pre-season, but the results that he’s got they’re still not good enough. We know for Man United, we’re not expecting them to win every week, we know they’re not a top team, but they shouldn’t be where they are in the league table, even with the players that they’ve got.”

Now, all attention is on the crucial Europa League quarter-final match against Lyon at Old Trafford. The score is tied at 2-2, so winning this game is essential. Success in this match could give Amorim and his players a much-needed boost in a disappointing season.