Recreating Sir Alex Ferguson's 'super tactic,' Amorim still faces harsh criticism from MU fans

MU supporters sharply criticized Ruben Amorim after the 1-1 draw against Leeds United.

MU began the new year with an away match at Elland Road in the 20th round of the Premier League. Amorim's team aimed to secure a win after being held to a draw by Wolves at home midweek. However, the Red Devils once again showed a lackluster performance against their traditional rivals, settling for a 1-1 draw.

After the match, Amorim remained the main target of criticism. In fact, the Portuguese coach angered MU fans even before the game started. He surprised many by starting with six defenders, while Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte were also in the starting lineup.

On social media, fans did not hesitate to express their disappointment with Amorim's team selection. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “Six defenders plus Ugarte and Casemiro against Leeds is definitely grounds for dismissal.”.

Another commented: “I remember the Van Gaal era when the squad was depleted, and we still used academy players. But Amorim prefers to deploy six defenders along with Casemiro and Ugarte. This is the worst MU lineup ever.”

Another fan added: “Out of the ten outfield players, six are defenders, plus Ugarte and Casemiro. It's embarrassing, and we didn't even keep a clean sheet.”

Some believe Amorim is playing overly cautiously: “No surprise he made only one substitution. Amorim is in survival mode, unwilling to lose so he settles for a draw.”.

In the match against Leeds, Amorim started Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, and Patrick Dorgu. Notably, he made only one substitution throughout the game to try to change the outcome, a decision that further enraged many fans.

Amorim's all-defender lineup reminded many supporters of Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary match. The Scottish manager used seven defenders against Arsenal in 2011 but still secured a 2-0 victory. However, despite the defensive setup, Sir Alex's MU played confidently in attack and pressed Arsenal aggressively.

After the match, Amorim confidently stated: “I think we played well and controlled the game fairly well. We had chances to win but fell short in small details. The team managed to equalize after going behind, but there is still some disappointment.”

Fortunately for MU, both their rivals Chelsea and Liverpool failed to win this round, so the gap remains unchanged. However, if they continue to waste opportunities against lower-ranked teams, the Red Devils will struggle to secure a European competition spot by season's end.