What has changed for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United? | OneFootball

A month ago, Ruben Amorim looked like a dead man walking. Now, after three straight Premier League wins, the 40-year-old is enjoying his best run since arriving last season, and optimism has returned to Old Trafford.

Speaking after the 4-2 win over bogey side Brighton last weekend, Amorim said: “I think, after the third goal, the noise of the stadium was not normal. It was like a different moment. It was the first time that I felt that sound… The sound of the stadium was incredible.”

So what’s changed to convince fans the Portuguese coach really can “turn the Reds around,” as the catchy chant goes?

Sharper, smarter attacking play

Scoring was United’s biggest issue last season; they finished 15th with a -10 goal difference. The club responded by spending $262 million on Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

That investment is starting to pay off. Those three, along with Mason Mount, are interchanging fluidly across the front line without compromising potency. Crucially, it doesn’t seem to matter which trio starts – there’s a clearer structure and understanding.

With no midweek European or Carabao Cup commitments, Amorim has had uninterrupted training time to build relationships and patterns. The front three look like they’ve benefited most.

Manchester United’s pass map against Brighton. Image: Opta theanalyst.com

A new goalkeeper and a more direct edge

United’s upturn has coincided with 23-year-old Senne Lammens’ debut. It’s early days, but his distribution – off either foot – has enabled a more direct, vertical approach that suits a team previously uncomfortable building from deep.

With the 6’5″ Šeško as a target and Mbeumo’s velvet first touch to secure long passes, United can bypass pressure more often and attack earlier. That tweak underpinned Premier League wins over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton.

System tweaks that finally click

Amorim has been criticised for stubbornly sticking to his 5-2-2-1/3-4-2-1 system. But recent adjustments have made it more robust and dynamic.

Amad’s relationship with Mbeumo down that flank has quickly become one of the league’s most effective wide partnerships. The pair combined superbly in the 4-2 win over Brighton, with Mbeumo scoring twice, and their off-pitch chemistry is evident in those now-viral post-match celebrations.

Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo celebrate together in the United locker room. Image: espnuk/tiktok

Momentum matters

Momentum, as the cliché goes, is everything – and United have it. The Sunderland win at Old Trafford soothed frayed nerves. The victory at Anfield sparked celebration. The thriller against Brighton injected genuine belief.

United fans will try not to get carried away after the club’s first three-game league streak in 18 months. But for the first time in a long time, there’s a clear plan, visible progress, and a manager whose ideas are starting to land. That noise Amorim heard at Old Trafford wasn’t just relief – it sounded like a corner being turned.