Manchester United's life is in Amorim's capable hands

The manager made a fading Portuguese side into champions. Lawrence Ostlere pinpoints the tactics that may save United

If Ruben Amorim's task of restoring Manchester United to the champions of England looks nigh on impossible from the team's lowly current position, at least he is a manager with form for remarkable transformation.

Amorim took charge of Sporting CP in March 2020, as a 35year-old coach with only two months’ experience managing in the Portuguese top flight. He inherited a giant club without a league title in 18 years, in disarray on and off the field after the exits of key players Raphinha, Bas Dost and Bruno Fernandes – ironically now set to be his captain at Old Trafford, assuming Amorim moves of course. According to reports, an announcement is due tomorrow.

Amorim quickly set about imprinting his own football identity. In his first full season in charge, his young side set a league record 32-game unbeaten run on their way to winning the Primeira Liga, ending the long duopoly of Porto and Benfica. Sporting lost only one league game all season, against Benfica, after already securing the title.

Amorim won another league title last season and is set to leave Sporting top of the table with nine wins from nine games played. So how did he do it, and what does his work in Lisbon say about what Manchester United can expect from their next manager?

The favoured 3-4-2-1

Amorim first tried a back three early in his coaching career and he quickly settled upon a preferred 3-4-2-1 shape. At Sporting the system could flex into a 3-4-3 with two wide forwards rather than typical No 10s, and occasionally he played with a 3-5-2, but Amorim rarely deviated from his three-at-the-back foundation.