For better or worse, Ruben Amorim remains wedded to his 3-4-2-1 system at Manchester United, despite having seen his side plunge to new depths last season amid their dismal 15th-place Premier League finish.
The Portuguese coach won two league titles while using this approach at Sporting CP, although his failure – or rather refusal – to adapt looks like it could be his undoing at Old Trafford, with the wisdom of such a set-up yet to be realised.
On current evidence, it also looks like it could be the undoing of young Kobbie Mainoo, with Amorim almost a year into his tenure and still no closer to finding a settled role for the 20-year-old sensation in his side.
With the manager’s own future perhaps still up for debate, the club wisely opted against loaning or selling Mainoo this summer, even amid his limited role, with the midfielder a player whom United simply can’t offload any time soon.
Once a central part of Erik ten Hag’s team, as well as in England’s Euro 2024 run, the academy graduate is arguably seeing his talents wasted at present. Can Amorim get him firing again?
Mainoo's record under Ten Hag vs Amorim
Mainoo must surely take his own accountability for his dip of late, while having also been struck down by injury in 2024/25, although right from the off, he doesn’t appear to have earned Amorim’s trust.
Indeed, the 40-year-old opted to unleash an ageing midfield pairing of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen for his first game away at Ipswich Town, with Mainoo instead watching on from the bench at Portman Road.
That set the tone for what has followed, with the Stockport native going on to make 30 appearances in all competitions under the new regime, with only 14 of those having come from the start.
Of those 30 outings, Mainoo has also been subbed off on nine occasions, while he has contributed just two goals and two assists thus far – half of which came during the Europa League victory over Viktoria Plzen back in January.
That performance appeared to showcase what the youngster could do in a number ten role, yet he now appears resigned to fighting it out with ever-present skipper, Bruno Fernandes, in a deep-lying midfield berth.
No longer the golden boy, Mainoo appears a far cry from the player who dazzled under Ten Hag’s watch, having scored five goals and provided one assist in 44 games during the Dutchman’s time at the helm.
38 of those displays notably came from the start, with Ten Hag reaping the rewards of his faith in the then-teenage talent – the FA Cup final winner a case in point.
Mainoo isn’t alone in having suffered under the new regime, with Amorim also failing to get a tune out of a certain Rasmus Hojlund.
How Hojlund's value has fallen since Amorim's arrival
A frantic end to the window saw United finally move on their ‘unwanted’ stars, with Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho all departing from the so-called ‘bomb squad’.
That string of departures also included Hojlund’s own loan switch to Serie A champions Napoli, with that deal expected to become a £38m permanent move if certain conditions are met this season.
In an era of Alexander Isak’s and Yoane Wissa’s, Hojlund – to his credit – appeared desperate to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, even amid the signing of Benjamin Sesko, having reportedly been hesitant to commit to his Naples move initially.
Unfortunately for the boyhood United fan, Amorim and co had seemingly seen enough last season, with the young Dane ending 2024/25 with just ten goals to his name in all competitions – only four of which came in the Premier League.
While only Fernandes and Noussair Mazraoui have made more appearances for United since Amorim took charge back in November, with Hojlund lining up 40 times, the partnership simply hasn’t proved to be a fruitful one.
Who is to blame for those woes is up for debate, with the 22-year-old certainly showing promise under Ten Hag the year prior, having ended the season as United’s top scorer in all competitions with 18 goals. That said, he also ended the season on the bench, as the Dutchman favoured a makeshift duo of Scott McTominay and Fernandes in his place.
The hope was that having seen Viktor Gyokeres score 66 goals in just 68 games under his watch in Lisbon, Amorim’s appointment could take Hojlund to even greater heights.
Games (starts)
30 (25)
32 (23)
Goals
10
4
Mins per goal
217
506
Goal conversion
26%
13%
Big chances missed
13
6
Assists
2
0
Big chances created
0
4
Key passes*
0.9
0.5
Total duels won*
38%
29%
As it has transpired, the ex-Atalanta sensation was largely a bystander to proceedings in attack last term, with chances at a premium. As per Sofascore, he actually only missed six ‘big chances’ in the Premier League in 2024/25.
From 18 goals in 51 games under Ten Hag, to just eight in 40 under Amorim, Hojlund proved unable to generate chances himself, nor convince his teammates to create opportunities for him. A worrying cocktail.
While he at times looked like a “Ruud Van Nistelrooy-type” striker in his debut campaign, as per Cesc Fabregas, Amorim rarely saw the best of United’s £64m signing – nor, it must be said, did he get the best out of him.
That is reflected none more so than in his declining market value. As per Transfermarkt, Hojlund was worth a peak value of €60m (£52m) back in December 2024, just a month into the Portuguese’s tenure.
Fast forward to the present day, and his worth has sunk to just €35m (£31m), marking a rapid drop off since the change in the dugout at Old Trafford.
Whether the manager, the system or Hojlund himself is to blame, a record of 26 goals in 96 games simply isn’t good enough. Let’s hope Benjamin Sesko proves to be a far more prolific leading man.