Ruben Amorim has been in charge of Manchester United for eight games and continues to chop and change his starting line-ups, fielding 24 players to find who fits best in his 3-4-3 formation
Ruben Amorim reflects on Spurs defeat
Former Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham has named four players who Ruben Amorim can build his new team around.
Amorim, 39, has been through the door for little over a month, taking charge of eight games. To varying results, the Portuguese is attempting to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation which brought him success at Sporting Lisbon.
United have so far won four games under Amorim, who’s fielded 24 different payers in a bid to see who fits best. That was evident against Tottenham on Thursday in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, as a much-changed United suffered a 4-3 defeat in north London.
But none of Sheringham’s picks started the cup tie, with the club legend unsure over the rest of Amorim’s squad barring his chosen quartet. “I think Harry Maguire has still got that stature at the football club. I think he’s still captain material,” Sheringham told Genting Casino.
“Kobbie Mainoo, who has a lovely presence in midfield… Amad and [Rasmus] Hojlund, both young lads that have been showing good grit. I like Hojlund. He’s been feeding off scraps for far too long, but he’s still scoring goals. I think he’s got something about him. He’s still only a very young boy to be leading the line at Man United.
“When they had the choice to buy either Harry Kane or him one and a half years ago, I would have said, you’ve got to go and get Harry Kane to lead the line for the next two years, three years, and then get Hojlund in. But now Hojlund has had that 18-month experience. I think it’s held him in good stead, and I think he’s in a good place, that’s what I’m taking from the way that he plays.”
Who else should Ruben Amorim build his team around? Have your say in the comments section.
Amad has been the outstanding player in the early days of Amorim’s tenure, with the 22-year-old inspiring last weekend’s epic Manchester derby win. Hojlund, meanwhile, has shown signs of promise with five goals under his new boss, although summer signing Joshua Zirkzee has shared the No.9 role.
Mainoo was returning from an injury when Amorim took charge and appears to have made his way into the ex-Sporting manager’s ‘best’ starting XI. Maguire is the most curious of Sheringham’s picks, especially having been stripped off the captaincy by Erik ten Hag at the beginning of last season.
Maguire has only started two games under Amorim – Arsenal away and Manchester City away – yet has performed well. The 31-year-old says that talks to extend his contract are sounding ‘really positive’, with his current deal due to expire and the end of this term. Maguire will be hoping to get the nod for Sunday’s game at home to Bournemouth.
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