Manchester United Adopts New Formation Against Newcastle
Ruben Amorim, the manager of Manchester United, made a notable change to his strategy by deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation during last night’s match against Newcastle.
Since taking charge at Old Trafford, Amorim has predominantly utilized a 3-4-3 system, which had previously proven successful at Sporting Lisbon with the use of three center-backs and wing-backs.
Critics have raised concerns about his steadfastness in employing this formation, which some felt was ill-fitting for the players available at Manchester United.
But how did the shift to a back four impact the team’s performance against Newcastle?
United Claims Victory, but Faces Challenges
Manchester United emerged from the match with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to a superb goal from Patrick Dorgu. However, the team’s performance in the new formation raised questions, as they struggled to assert themselves against Newcastle.
While some supporters celebrated the three points, others noted that Newcastle dominated possession and had a higher number of shots throughout the match. Here’s how the statistics revealed the teams’ performance:
| Manchester United | Newcastle | |
| Possession | 33.4% | 66.6% |
| Shots | 9 | 16 |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 3 |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 15 | 44 |
On a more positive note, Newcastle was unable to convert their numerous chances into effective scoring opportunities, as indicated by their equal number of shots on target.
Both teams recorded an expected goals (xG) of 1.2, according to statistics from FBref.
Despite the struggles, the match yielded United’s second clean sheet of the season, which is a silver lining, particularly as player ratings from WhoScored reflected positively on the defensive line.
In a significant note, this marked the first Premier League victory for Manchester United without Bruno Fernandes since a win against Tottenham in March 2022, breaking a trend where they had lost five of the last six league matches without him.
Overall, it’s challenging to form a definitive opinion based on a single match, but there are compelling arguments for and against continuing with this new formation moving forward.
While Manchester United recorded their lowest possession percentage of the season, previous games where they held more of the ball resulted in defeats. This tactical adjustment could provide the solidity needed during Fernandes’s absence, and Amorim may prioritize gaining points over adhering to a specific style of play.
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