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Manchester United icon Gary Neville has been left puzzled by some of Ruben Amorim’s recent statements.
Upon his arrival at Carrington, the Portuguese manager wasted no time in making tactical changes, moving away from Erik ten Hag’s preferred 4-2-3-1 setup and implementing a 3-4-2-1 formation—one that brought him significant success at Sporting CP.
However, many pundits and fans have pointed out that the current squad is not well-suited to this system. Despite facing early challenges, the 39-year-old remained firm, insisting that his players must either adapt or struggle with the transition.
Yet, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Spurs, Amorim described himself as a flexible tactician, stating:
“I’m Portuguese, and all Portuguese coaches can adapt. I adapt. The key thing is that I use one system for now because I believe that by working within that system, you can simultaneously play in multiple ways. That’s my philosophy,” explained the United boss.
Neville was left stunned by Amorim’s remarks, believing they contradicted the firm stance he took upon arriving at Old Trafford.
“In his early days, the strength of his interviews was his insistence on sticking to his ideas, showing no flexibility,” said the former United captain on Sky Sports.
“I don’t quite understand what he means by being adaptable because he has stuck to the same system every single week. That’s a real concern…”
Furthermore, Neville admitted he initially expected Manchester United to thrive under Amorim’s leadership and his switch to a three-man defense.
“I thought things would improve significantly when he arrived. I believed the team would adjust well to a back three, providing more solidity. But watching Manchester United now, you never know what to expect from one game to the next. At times, they are just unpredictable.”
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