Ruben Amorim insists he will NOT abandon controversial 3-4-3 system in outlandish claim

Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim has come under fire for refusing to budge from his rigid 3-4-3 formation and says not even the Pope could persuade him to abandon it right now

Ruben Amorim doubled down on his controversial system and said not even the Pope could get the Manchester United boss to change his formation.

Amorim has been criticised for his refusal to change from his rigid 3-4-3 formation, which has yielded just eight wins from 31 Premier League games since he took charge at United 10 months ago.

United, who finished 15th last season, their lowest place for 51 years, have just four points from as many games this term and have already been dumped out of the EFL Cup by League Two Grimsby.

Amorim had a summit meeting this week with United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, to assess the team’s ongoing poor form.

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Despite United’s failure to make a fast start this season, Amorim intends to stick with his contentious system – after he was asked if it was he suggested he change it at the meeting.

“No, no, no,” said Amorim. “No-one, not even the Pope will change [me]. This is my job. This is my responsibility. This is my life. So, I will not change that, but I will change the system [at some point].

“There will be an evolution, but we need to make all the good steps. If I’m a player and I have a coach that, with a lot of pressure, it doesn’t matter if he’s all around the world, is saying, you need to change the system, and I change, at this moment, they will look at me in a different way.

“So, everything, when you think about the impact that any decision is going to have on the team, everything is important. So, I will say the same thing. This will have an evolution.

“But I’m doing things my way. Some guys do it in a different way, but it will change. So, I hope to have the time to change, but it will change.”

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