Ruud van Nistelrooy Interview Before Manchester United vs Chelsea Game - Ten Hag Was The Problem !

Ruben Amorim says he wanted to take the Manchester United job at the end of the season but accepted a mid-season appointment after being told it was "now or never".

Amorim, 39, was confirmed as Manchester United's new head coach on Friday and will complete his move to Old Trafford from Lisbon club Sporting on 11 November.

Speaking after Sporting's first match since that announcement - Friday's 5-1 league victory over Estrela which maintained their perfect start after 10 games, Amorim explained his only request following United's approach was to see out the current campaign, which he had already informed the club's president would be his last.

But the Portuguese coach was told that would not be possible as the Premier League club sought an immediate replacement for Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday. Across a four-year spell at Sporting, during which he has won two Portuguese league titles and two league cups - having previously won the league cup with Braga - the 39-year-old put a stamp on the side which has remained consistent despite player turnover. Amorim's Sporting are characterised by a short-passing possession game, a three-at-the-back set-up and an aggressive pressing system facilitated by a high defensive line.

But as he prepares to take the reins at Old Trafford on November 11, with his first game to be the trip to Ipswich after the international break, how will his methods translate at Manchester United?

It appears unlikely that Amorim will deviate from a back three given he has deployed the system in all 188 league and European games at Sporting. According to Opta, his most common starting formation is 3-4-2-1, ahead of 3-4-3, with 3-5-2 the only other used. It will take some getting used to for his new players. Under Ten Hag, Manchester United started almost 90 per cent of league and European games in a 4-2-3-1 shape. They did not start a single game in those competitions using a back three, according to Opta. Matthijs de Ligt is the most likely option to line up in the centre of Amorim's back three at United, given the importance of leadership and experience in that role. The wide centre-back positions, meanwhile, look well-suited to Leny Yoro and Lisandro Martinez.


#ruudvannistelrooy #manchesterunited #chelsea