Why Manchester United’s problem lies with personnel, not the system

WEB DESK: Manchester United’s struggles under Ruben Amorim continue to spark debate, but the core issue appears less about tactics and more about personnel. Despite adopting a 3-4-2-1 system that has made United more compact, individual errors and questionable player selections are costing them dearly.

According to BBC‘s Danny Murphy, Man Utd coach Amorim has clearly worked on tightening the side. United press higher, defend closer together and no longer leave gaping holes between midfield and defence as they often did last season. Against Manchester City, they even managed to disrupt Pep Guardiola’s side by winning the ball back several times in dangerous areas. Yet, despite these improvements, they fell to a 3-0 defeat in the derby, undone by lapses from players in unfamiliar roles.

The best example came with City’s opener. Bruno Fernandes, normally a number 10, was deployed deeper as a central midfielder. Tasked with defensive responsibilities he is not accustomed to, Fernandes lost track of Phil Foden, who ghosted in to head home Jeremy Doku’s cross. This was not the first such lapse; earlier in the season, Fernandes also failed to track Emile Smith-Rowe against Fulham. While his passing range from deeper positions can be superb, his lack of defensive instincts repeatedly leaves United exposed.

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Fernandes is not the only square peg in a round hole. Luke Shaw, forced into a back-three role, was beaten too easily by Doku in the build-up to the first goal and again struggled against Erling Haaland later. United’s second concession summed up the wider issue: Manuel Ugarte abandoning his man, Noussair Mazraoui failing to close down quickly, Leny Yoro overcommitting, and Shaw again left vulnerable. None of this stemmed from systemic collapse, just a chain of individual mistakes.

United’s season has not been disastrous. They pushed Arsenal, beat Burnley, and created enough against Fulham to win. But when facing sharper opposition, their vulnerabilities resurface. Amorim is unlikely to abandon his favoured system, yet his insistence on playing stars out of position is undermining its effectiveness.

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The solution seems obvious: restore Fernandes to his natural role behind the striker, keep two genuine holding midfielders behind him, and avoid shoehorning players like Shaw into central defence. Until Amorim aligns his personnel with the demands of his system, United will remain prone to the same costly errors.