Amorim looks the part.
He strode into Portman Road wearing a very big coat, which the much milder temperatures didn’t actually require.
There was a purpose about his manner. His pre-match hug with opposite number Kieran McKenna was cordial and nothing more.
And Rashford’s opener within two minutes was the perfect start. It wasn’t long though before Amorim was calling Diogo Dalot and Alejandro Garnacho over during a brief break in play to explain how he expected their combination to work.
Once that conversation was done, he explained what he wanted to Jonny Evans and Casemiro.
The term learning on the job could not be more apt.
“Did we really, from what we have seen this season, expect this to be a Manchester United team transformed?” questioned Chris Sutton on Radio 5 Live. “Ruben Amorim wants to change the style but the players have been away on international duty. It is impossible for him to just flick a switch.”
The style, as expected, featured three central defenders and wing backs. This is the “idea” Amorim told everyone they would see as soon as he started work.
The positions of Noussair Mazraoui and Amad were the surprises in terms of selection. Right-sided defender of a back three is Mazraoui’s fourth position of the season.
Amad is a winger but was deemed a better alternative than Alejandro Garnacho at wing-back, who was given a more forward role.
The Ivorian’s surging run and cross created Rashford’s goal and late in the game he was noticeably chasing back to retrieve a loose ball in the United box before Mazraoui urged him to get back upfield.
“In three days he has improved so much defensively,” said Amorim. “His opponent all the time was the left-back so it was just like a winger following him. It is easier because he just follows one guy and its man-to-man. He was so focused and did a great job.”
