As Manchester United enters 2025 in a precarious 14th place in the Premier League, head coach Ruben Amorim remains optimistic about the year ahead despite the team’s troubling form.
United’s 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle on Monday marked a grim milestone: five league losses in December, the club’s worst calendar-month record since 1962.
It also extended their losing streak to four in all competitions, with six defeats in their last eight games.
Such form has led to increasing murmurs about a potential relegation battle, a concern Amorim himself has acknowledged as “a possibility.”
Adapting to a New Tactical Vision
Amorim’s tenure, which began following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal in October, has been defined by a dramatic shift in United’s tactical approach to a 3-4-3 system.
However, the transition has been fraught with challenges, as players adapt to a style vastly different from the one they employed for the past two years.
The Portuguese manager admits that the absence of a pre-season has hampered his efforts to establish a tactical foundation in a message posted on the club’s official X account.
“I think the players are losing everything, the small things that we try to work on in training,” Amorim said. “We don’t have the base to cope with difficult moments, and that makes it really hard.”
Despite these struggles, Amorim remains committed to his approach. “Of course I didn’t choose the players specifically for these positions, but that I already knew,” he explained. “It’s a process, and we need time to adjust.”
Tough Start to the New Year
United faces a daunting challenge in their first game of 2025, traveling to Anfield to face league leaders Liverpool in one of English football’s fiercest rivalries.
The outcome could set the tone for Amorim’s project and the club’s prospects in the months ahead.
Amorim closed the year with a message of determination, stating, “I know it will take a lot of hard work from everyone to get there, but I am very excited about where we can go together in 2025.”
As United navigates a season of turbulence, Amorim’s vision and resilience will be critical in steering the club back toward stability and success.
