Amorim System Issues | OneFootball

MANCHESTER CITY 3 (Foden 18, Haaland 53, 68) MANCHESTER UNITED 0

“THE SYSTEM IS NOT THE PROBLEM”. Wow – there it is, the six word-statement from Ruben Amorim that could turn out to be a phrase that haunts the Manchester United manager if he does not see it through to another Manchester derby.

The calls for Amorim to go just went up a notch after a demoralising defeat to their city rivals, who have hardly started the season with a bang but won the 197th Manchester derby far too easily.

3-4-3 or sacked?

If Amorim doesn’t think his 3-4-3 formation is the problem, and word is that some of United’s players DO think it is a system they are not suited to, what is going wrong at a club that has picked up fewer points than any team in the Premier League – except for those relegated last May – during his 31 games in charge? More urgently what needs to change, now the transfer window has closed?

Amorim’s post-match suggestion was that United were getting poor results playing 4-3-3 before his arrival, which is true and suggests either the players or the previous manager, Erik Ten Haag, were not good enough.

Fair point, and by coming in mid-season, against his better judgement, Amorim was given a ‘get-out-of-jail’ card in the shape of “Ah, he needs the right players to suit this shape.”

Money Well Spent?

So in the summer, he spends over $300m and what have we got? A team with only one win – against new boys Burnley – and three defeats, including to tier 4 Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

And it is a team still looking uncomfortable playing three at the back, and struggling to score despite a new look forward line, brought in at huge cost. Benjamin Sesko, the 100m dollar man, looked like a little boy lost against the Cityzens, for whom Erling Haaland went a long way to backing up his manager’s pre-match assertion that he is the best number 9 in the business.

Harry Kane might be asking his German colleagues to hold his stein of beer, but Pep’s barbs were aimed mostly at Alexander Isak, who did not feature in Liverpool’s win at Burnley.

With Kane now at Bayern, Haaland is the Premier League’s most feared center forward, and after putting five past Moldova in midweek, scored another two against United, who simply rolled over .

While Haaland was putting on a striker’s masterclass, seemingly everywhere in the second half, linking up play, creating, getting on the end of chances and most importantly scoring goals, Sesko was largely a spectator. The Slovenian fired a shot straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma in the fourth minute and that was the highlight of his afternoon. The 22-year-old has yet to score in the Premier League and will need time to settle, but his manager needs goals from him now.

Delightful Donnarumma

By contrast, it was close to a perfect debut for new City goalkeeper Donnarumma, with a clean sheet and one outstanding save from Bryan Mbeumo’s volley in the 61st minute. Otherwise there were few other problems for him to deal with as United struggled in front of goal.

In the Manchester United net, however. it was another disappointing afternoon for Altay Bayındır, preferred to newly signed Senne Lammens now that Andre Onana has been sold. The Turkish keeper looked shaky throughout and Lammens is sure to take over sooner rather than later.

But Bayındır could not be faulted for Phil Foden’s header that gave City a half-time lead, nor Haaland’s double that completed victory. It was over long before the end in front of slightly muted atmosphere at the Etihad, mostly because of the untimely death announced on Sunday morning of Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer.

Hatton was one of Manchester’s greatest sporting sons, a huge City fan and was due to be in attendance at the match. The Hitman from Hyde was honoured before kick off with a touching tribute, as both sets of players and fans paid their respects to Hatton.

At least the city of Manchester was united on one thing.