‘We started’: Bruno Fernandes reveals what changed at Man United after Ruben Amorim’s exit
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has listed the reasons behind the resurgence under interim head coach Michael Carrick.
Former manager Ruben Amorim was dismissed shortly after the turn of the year following a disappointing spell in charge.
Carrick has lifted the spirits of the squad, guiding them to seven victories, two draws and just one defeat in 10 games.
Speaking candidly on a podcast, Fernandes admitted that a change in formation has led to better results.
He said (via Men In Blazers): “We changed a few things. We changed the position of a few players and tried different formations.
“At the end, we started scoring a lot of goals. We started to be more compact when we defend.
“It was good for us that we had two big games straightaway (Manchester City and Arsenal).”
Stubborn Ruben Amorim never changed
Amorim remained firmly committed to his preferred 3-2-4-1 system, showing little willingness to adjust despite mounting struggles.
His rigidity ultimately proved costly, as the system failed to suit the squad at his disposal.
The club have historically been known for playing attacking football with a back-four system.
INEOS took a calculated risk by appointing Amorim, banking on his success in Portugal to translate to the Premier League.
Instead, the club endured 14 months of underwhelming performances and growing frustration.
Several key players were forced into unfamiliar roles to accommodate the system.
Fernandes was deployed in a midfield pivot. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui were used as wing-backs, despite being far more comfortable as traditional full-backs.
Carrick wasted little time in abandoning the approach, reverting to the more familiar 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 formations.
The tactical reset has allowed players to operate in their natural positions, bringing out the best in the squad.
The impact has been immediate, with United climbing to third place in the Premier League table.
Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .