Observations from Manchester United’s First Training Session Under Ruben Amorim

Following Monday’s training session, Manchester United midfielder Casemiro posted “Top training” on his social media account, and teammate Marcus Rashford shared “Top session today.” Manchester United released a seven-minute video on Monday, documenting Ruben Amorim’s inaugural training session as the club’s head coach. Players, including Casemiro and Marcus Rashford, subsequently shared positive messages on their social media platforms, indicating the session’s success. The edited footage, condensed from a session typically exceeding an hour, offered several insights into Amorim’s approach ahead of his first match in charge against Ipswich on Sunday. It also contained fitness updates and a clear, subtle message suggesting that issues from Erik ten Hag’s tenure are now being addressed. BBC Sport’s Simon Stone identified five principal themes. Nineteen-year-old Leny Yoro, who had been sidelined for three months with a foot injury, was involved. England internationals Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, along with new signing Leny Yoro, participated as they intensified their recovery from recent injuries. Shaw has not played for United since February, Mainoo’s last appearance was against Aston Villa on 6 October, and Yoro is yet to make his debut following his £52m transfer from Lille in the summer. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof were not depicted participating. All three missed international duty this month due to injuries. Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, and Joshua Zirkzee were all absent, fulfilling international commitments. Much discussion surrounding Amorim’s appointment has focused on his tactical preferences, particularly his use of three central defenders and two wing-backs at Sporting, a formation unfamiliar at United since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson. Amorim stated in his interview with club media on Friday that fans would witness “an idea” at Portman Road this weekend. Based on this video, a back three formation appears to be a component of that strategy. Jonny Evans was positioned between Yoro on his right and Shaw on his left. Antony operated as the right wing-back, and Tyrell Malacia as the left wing-back. Casemiro and Mainoo occupied the deeper midfield positions, with Mason Mount—who converted a first-time finish from an Antony cross—Amad Diallo, and Rashford in the attacking roles. A significant criticism of recent United teams, predating Ten Hag’s time, has been a perceived lack of work-rate, especially in tracking back. While United has not disclosed who authorized the video’s editing, it seems evident that considerable thought went into its release. During periods of possession and attack, players were shown four times vigorously chasing back after Amorim signaled a lost ball and a potential counter-attack. The frequency of this depiction within such a brief timeframe suggested an intention from someone at Old Trafford to convey that Amorim is actively working to resolve United’s issues in transition. In the summer, Mainoo, 19, was one of three players—alongside Hojlund and Garnacho—who were “ring-fenced,” meaning United was open to offers for nearly all other first-team squad members. As a local player and academy graduate, Mainoo embodies the club’s desired representation. Therefore, while it is reasonable to assume Amorim offered impromptu coaching to more than one player, his discussion with Mainoo was the one made public. Amorim demonstrated to Mainoo his expectations regarding body shape and positioning, illustrating various options available through minor movements. It is important to note that Amorim has been appointed as head coach, not a manager, a distinction from Ten Hag’s role. Amorim is responsible for guiding players through the tactical patterns he aims to establish. The edited footage of Amorim on Monday showed smiles alongside his instructions. The closest display of intensity was his demand to “not lose the ball” moments before intervening to inform Evans that possession had been lost and repositioning was necessary. This provided some insight, but it also represented the image United wished to project globally.