Jamie Carragher details his Manchester United XI under Ruben Amorim with three bold calls
Incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has favoured a 3-4-3 set-up in Lisbon with Sporting, but there've been questions over whether United's players suit such a system
Jamie Carragher suggested Ruben Amorim could be tempted to move players out of their natural positions as he attempts to impose his preferred 3-4-3 formation at Manchester United,
Amorim is due to take over at Old Trafford during the international break after terms were agreed with Portuguese league leaders Sporting CP. The 39-year-old has impressed with his adventurous set-up in Lisbon, with his team scoring 35 goals and conceding just three in their first 10 matches this term, and he's expected to attempt to apply the same formation at Old Trafford.
United spent big over the summer, bringing in £200m worth of new signings under Erik ten Hag, but Carragher believes there will be no place for at least one of those new recruits. Joshua Zirkzee has been in and out of the side since his £36m move from Bologna in July, and Carragher believes there's no place for the Dutchman in Amorim's preferred set-up.
The former Liverpool defender gave his predictions on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football broadcast, moving United captain Bruno Fernandes into a front three with Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford. There were changes elsewhere, too, including an ambitious wing-back role for Alejandro Garnacho.
Carragher began at the back, with Andre Onana remaining in goal. He suggested new signing Leny Yoro would be the right-most of the three centre-backs when he finally makes his Premier League bow, with Matthijs de Ligt in the middle and Lisandro Martinez on the left.
"I actually think Martinez, in this position, it might suit him - gives you that balance with the left foot," Carragher argued. "I can't see De Ligt or Maguire being in the wide position, they will not be able to cope, so I don't think De Ligt or Maguire can play in the same back three because whoever is in the wide position would get really exposed.
"Yoro has come in as a young player, he's a project for the club. You'd want to work with him... [he's] a young player, can probably deal with the pace down the sides as well, but they've got the numbers if there's injuries or suspensions. We know they've got that."
How do you expect Manchester United to line up under Ruben Amorim? Have your say in the comments section
United skipper Fernandes has often been the furthest advanced of three midfielders, but that isn't expected to be an option under Amorim. Carragher also expects Casemiro to have to make do with a spot on the bench as the new manager is reunited with former Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
"I think in Ugarte and [Kobbie] Mainoo - Ugarte's a player he knows, and also when I've seen Sporting Lisbon play, these two players don't just sit and don't move here. In terms of pressing, at times they will push right up and be really aggressive on the opposition," Carragher continued. He was then asked by presenter David Jones whether energy was important, meeting the question with an immediate "yes". "100 percent it will be about energy there," he continued.
"Don't forget, the centre of the pitch, how often do we see teams not just with three players in there but four players in there. People talk about playing the box in there - that will be really interesting, how they cope with that defensively, and that's why I say [Amorim's] out-of-possession set-up will be fascinating when he hasn't got the best players in the league or the best team in the league, because that will cause a problem.
Another big question concerns the wing-back roles. Amorim's predecessor Ten Hag was forced to make do without a recognised left-back for most of last season and all of this, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia beset with injury issues, and Carragher suggested a new role for Garnacho - while keeping Noussair Mazraoui on the right and benching Diogo Dalot - could be the answer.
"I've almost put one attacking full-back on one side and Garnacho on the other, because when you look at his set-up at Sporting there's been times where these players are asked to be really high, and wingers, and they're going to have to be very good at one-v-one," he said. "And again, that's talking about Man United dominating with the ball, maybe being at Old Trafford, but when you look at the fixture list, they've got Arsenal away - maybe after four or five games. That will be an interesting decision.
"If you've got Garnacho and he starts well, maybe in the left wing-back role, but you're playing against Saka, and Arsenal are dominating, and they're at home and they're on the front foot and Garnacho's being asked to play as a left full-back..."
Jamie Carragher's predicted Man Utd XI under Ruben Amorim: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Garnacho; Fernandes, Hojlund, Rashford
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