Another Amad Please: Ruben Amorim Identifies the Key Area Man Utd Must Strengthen After Shock Everton Defeat

Amorim Says Manchester United Need “Another Amad” to Avoid Being Exposed Again

As Manchester United prepare for a tricky Premier League clash with an in-form Crystal Palace side on Sunday, Ruben Amorim has spoken with unusual candour about where his squad still falls short. And for the Portuguese coach, the answer is surprisingly simple: he wants another Amad Diallo—or at least another wing-back who can match the 23-year-old’s attacking spark.

It’s an admission that cuts right to the heart of United’s identity under Amorim. His 3-4-3 system, so influential and successful during his time at Sporting CP, relies on dynamic wing-backs capable not just of covering the flanks, but of deciding matches in the final third. At United, Amad has stepped into that role with a mix of promise, electricity, and—inevitably—controversy.

Because while Amad has thrilled supporters with his movement and link-up play, he has also been exposed defensively. Opposing managers have increasingly targeted United’s right side, exploiting the space behind him whenever he pushes too high. And after the shock defeat to Everton—where numerical advantage and tactical shape were thrown into chaos—Amorim seems to have reached a public conclusion: this team needs wing-backs who can attack like Amad… but defend more securely.

Amorim’s Amad Conundrum: A Star Player in a Compromised Role

Manchester United v Everton – Premier League

Why United Keep Using Amad as a Wing-Back—and Why It’s Causing Debate

Since the day he arrived at Old Trafford, Amad has felt like one of the club’s purest talents—sharp, technical, unpredictable in the best way. Under Amorim, he has become even more central to the project. United see him as a key figure for both present and future, a player capable of anchoring their identity for years.

But Amorim’s tactical philosophy presents a puzzle: how do you get Amad and Bryan Mbeumo—another major investment—into the same frontline without sacrificing the balance of the team?

The answer has been to push Amad into the right wing-back slot, allowing him to feature without benching Mbeumo. At its best, the pairing works beautifully. They combine well, overload flanks, and stretch defences with speed and imagination. Amad’s dribbling opens channels that Mbeumo exploits instinctively.

Yet the trade-off is equally clear. When Amad bombs forward, United often suffer in the reactive phase. Opponents run at the exposed channel behind him, pulling the back three into awkward positions. Shifting him deeper has unlocked creativity and chaos—but also vulnerability.

Amorim remains defiant. Back in December, he strongly defended using Amad higher up the pitch and wider than his natural role:

“He’s very good playing in that position, but also between the lines. He seems faster with the ball than without it. He can play in both positions and different systems. At wing-back, you need physicality—not size but the ability to run. His technical qualities are perfect for it.”

His point is clear. For Amorim, wing-backs aren’t defenders; they’re engines. The system thrives when those positions deliver relentless running and high-end attacking quality. And while Amad ticks several of those boxes, he cannot meet them all alone.

Amorim Stresses the Need for Attack-Minded Wing-Backs

Why Dalot, Mazraoui and Dorgu Haven’t Fully Convinced in the 3-4-3

United already possess three capable full-backs—Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu. All are solid footballers, each with useful attributes. But when inserted into the rigours of Amorim’s 3-4-3, none have consistently dominated their flank the way a pure wing-back specialist should.

Dalot has improved technically and in intelligence, but he thrives more in structured defensive scenarios. Mazraoui offers quality but not always the endurance or discipline the system demands. Dorgu, for all his raw talent, is still adapting to the Premier League’s speed.

So the puzzle remains: either Amorim adapts the system to suit the players, or the club adapts the squad to suit him. For now, Amorim is asking for the latter.

When questioned on Friday about signing more wing-backs, the head coach didn’t hesitate:

“We need time to improve the characteristics of the team. In the last game against Everton, we should have an Amad with the right foot on the other side to play against ten men.”

That line—another Amad—will resonate with supporters. It captures both the praise and the problem. United don’t just need depth. They need a specific type of player, someone capable of high volume running, technical flair, and creativity in wide areas. And at the moment, only Amad fits that bill.

Glasner vs Amorim: Two 3-4-3 Coaches, Two Very Different Results

amorim

Why Palace Are Making the System Shine While United Are Still Adjusting

Ruben Amorim is not alone in England in championing the 3-4-3. His opposite number this weekend, Oliver Glasner, has also built a system around wing-backs, aggressive transitions and positional fluidity. For Palace, it’s worked brilliantly—they’ve lifted two trophies in six months and are pushing into the top four.

Glasner, unlike Amorim, has a reputation for adapting to his players rather than moulding them into a predetermined structure. Across previous clubs, he has shifted between shapes, using whatever formation best fits the strengths at hand.

That flexibility has earned him praise. And it’s also raised questions about Amorim’s rigidity.

Amorim responds to such comparisons with a shrug and a calm insistence that his United play differently in every phase:

“You can understand that by data. They are a different club and they are doing things better than us. That is simple. We defend in a different space, attack in a different way. You don’t say all 4-3-3 teams play the same way.”

To his credit, Glasner also defended Amorim when discussing their parallel systems:

“It’s funny when people talk about the 3-4-3. United have the highest xG in the Premier League. Their team has changed, especially in attack. They needed goals and bought £200m worth of forwards. Their work rate is much higher now.”

In other words: the system isn’t the problem. The issue is time—and the tools to execute it.

European Places Could Buy Amorim the Time He Needs

United Sit Mid-Table—But the Gap to the Top Four Is Smaller Than It Looks

Despite an inconsistent recent run, United enter the weekend sitting 10th, just two points behind Palace. The chaos of the league table means they remain only four points adrift of the top four. A single strong run could reframe the season entirely.

Beating Palace would not only shift the standings; it would provide a psychological boost for a squad that hasn’t won in its last three league outings. The fear at Old Trafford isn’t that Amorim is the wrong man. It’s that the squad isn’t fully aligned with his ideas yet—and that January or summer recruitment will be required to close the gap.

Finish inside the top six, and Amorim will almost certainly remain backed. Miss out on Europe entirely, and the heat around him will intensify.

For now, the message from the manager is steady, patient and clear: trust the plan, reinforce the wing-back positions, give the group time to develop the characteristics required, and let the system breathe.

And if there’s one headline that sums up Amorim’s vision best, it might be the one he accidentally created himself:

United need another Amad.