Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has delivered a defiant response to mounting pressure surrounding his unyielding commitment to the 3-4-3 tactical system, stating that if the club hierarchy loses faith in his philosophy, they must “change the man.” This declaration comes in the wake of United’s humbling 3-0 defeat against rivals Manchester City, a result that marked their third loss of the season, including two in the Premier League and a Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town.

Amorim, who succeeded Erik ten Hag last November, now holds a record of just 8 wins in 31 Premier League games. The recent defeat to City ended Pep Guardiola’s team’s two-game losing streak and further exposed Amorim’s refusal to deviate from his preferred tactical setup. When questioned by reporters about whether the club’s poor results warranted a change in formation, Amorim was unequivocal: “I won’t change my philosophy. If they [United hierarchy] want it changed, you change the man. I am not going to change my philosophy. I will play my way until I want to change.”

The club's current form is deeply concerning, marking their poorest start to a league season since 1992-93 under Sir Alex Ferguson, with only four points from four games. While that season famously ended Manchester United’s 26-year wait for a league title, a crucial distinction is that it was a 42-game campaign and allowed for mid-season transformative transfers like Eric Cantona. In stark contrast, despite spending over £200 million on new players in the last two summers, current statistical analysis from Opta suggests United now have an 11% chance of relegation this season, compared to a 7.3% chance of finishing within the top five.

Former United skipper Roy Keane expressed his concern on Sky Sports, noting, “This United team lack real quality. Look at the results, points per game, goals for and against. It is not good reading. You talk about the system but the manager is sticking to his guns. He is not budging.” Amorim acknowledged the unacceptable nature of his record at Manchester United, stating, “I understand and accept it is not a record you should have in Manchester United. There are a lot of things, you have no idea what happened during these months.”

Despite the criticism, Amorim maintained his belief in his process and his players’ effort. “My message is I will do everything. I will give everything. It is not my decision, the rest. I will do my best. I am suffering more than [the fans],” he asserted. He contrasted United’s current building phase with facing highly successful coaches like Guardiola, adding, “We play against a coach that won six Premier League titles and we are building things, trying to fight against these teams.” Taking responsibility for the team’s performance, he added, “I didn’t see one player in my team not giving the maximum. The rest is with me. The disappointment sometimes I feel we could run more, but I didn’t have that feeling today. It’s my fault, not their fault and I am fine with that.”

As pressure intensifies, Manchester United is set to face Club World Cup champions Chelsea at Old Trafford next Saturday, a fixture that will undoubtedly test Amorim’s resolve and his unyielding tactical approach.