Manchester United: Ruben Amorim reveals key reason for tactical stubbornness after Newcastle change | OneFootball

Portuguese lined up with a back four for the very first time last week

Ruben Amorim has revealed the reason why he stubbornly stuck to his back-three principles during his first year in charge of Manchester United.

Dorgu was the matchwinner with a well-taken volley at Old Trafford that day, and questions were put to Amorim both afterwards and in the lead-up to United’s encounter with Wolves on December 30 whether he had fully departed from his principle.

However, the Portuguese insisted that he had not given in to external noise and media pressure.

The Portuguese has defiantly defended his system throughout his reign, insisting that even the Pope could not make him change his ways a few weeks ago.

The former Sporting Lisbon head coach did concede that a lack of first-team options forced him into a tactical reshuffle, with the Red Devils without a number of key names due to the Africa Cup of Nations and injury.

"When I came here last season, I understood that maybe I don't have the players to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of the process," Amorim said.

"It is not because of the pressure of you guys [journalists] or the fans. It is because now we understand the way we want to play and the principles are the same. We can change the system.

"I think we are going to become a better team because when all the players return we are not going to play all the time with three defenders. We are going to improve. That was something that I was talking about.

“When you [journalists] talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will understand that I am changing because of you. I think that is the end for the manager," Amorim said ahead of United’s clash against Wolves.

"When we are playing well in our system, I think that is the moment to change, if it is a better thing to win the next game. That is what we did [against Newcastle]."