Jamie Carragher tells Ruben Amorim to make tactical 'tweak' when Man Utd play Liverpool

01/03/2025 07:04 AM

Ruben Amorim could make one small tactical change to his Manchester United team when they face arch-rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

That is the recommendation of Jamie Carragher with United heading to Anfield having lost five of their last six league games, results that have left the club 14th in the table.

The arrival of Amorim following Erik ten Hag’s sacking hasn’t produced the desired improvement in form or performances, with players clearly unsuited to or unsure of the new head coach’s tactics.

By stark contrast, Liverpool have lost just one of their 27 matches since Arne Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp last summer, with the Reds six points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.

As such, many expect it is not of question of if United will lose against Liverpool, but by how many.

Nevertheless, Carragher has urged Amorim to stick with his tactical philosophy, but has suggested he make a slight tweak to his 3-4-2-1 formation given who he’s up against this weekend.

‘The United hierarchy have put faith in Amorim to make it work but his formation is so unsuited to the personnel that all the positive momentum that could have been created, had he taken over with a full pre-season and a chance to recruit players of the right profile, has been lost,’ the Liverpool legend told the Telegraph.

‘There are already calls for Amorim to change his formation, but he cannot be expected to shift his philosophy after 11 games. If Amorim switched to four at the back in response to United's results it would undermine his reason for being there.

‘If there is a common theme between the troubles of Tottenham and United it is how both are so vulnerable without the ball. You can still make changes within a formation or playing philosophy based on the players at your disposal.

‘Could Amorim go to Anfield this weekend and play three central midfielders instead of two, for example? It would be a compromise taking into account the strength of opposition, not a big change of direction.

‘There is no right or wrong way to play the game, but every manager must be prepared to make tweaks at certain times.’

Problems in central midfield plagued Ten Hag and have continued under Amorim, with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen long past their best while summer signing Manuel Ugarte has flattered to deceive so far.

In their most recent 2-0 loss to Newcastle, captain Bruno Fernandes and Ugarte were suspended while Kobbie Mainoo was benched, but all three should be available for the clash at Liverpool and could start together in a more compact midfield.

While the Red Devils have struggled at both ends of the pitch this season, Carragher says Amorim’s most important challenge is defensively, adding: ‘In his previous job, Amorim succeeded in producing thrilling, attacking football in a league where his team was so dominant in possession they did not have to focus so much on getting the ball back.

‘How much defending against top-class attacks did Sporting Lisbon need in their domestic league? This is the biggest weakness of Amorim’s present team.

‘To evolve as a coach, he must show he knows how to construct a side who can stop high-class opposition with the capacity to keep the ball and find the spaces to create chances.’

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