Versatility is clearly an attribute Ruben Amorim values pretty highly as Premier League giants Manchester United start to take shape under their new boss.
During his four matches in charge of Manchester United, Marcus Rashford has been utilised as a striker and as one of the narrow forwards in behind the number nine. Amorim has used Bruno Fernandes as a deep-lying playmaker and also as a more advanced option.
Noussair Mazraoui has played just about everywhere in the backline.
Diogo Dalot, meanwhile, was back on the right-hand side in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal having played on the left against Ipswich Town, Bodo/Glimt and Everton.
And while he may have been dropped from the starting XI after a tireless performance in the 4-0 hammering of Everton four days earlier, the tactical flexibility Amad Diallo has displayed under Amorim ensures that the Man United youngster’s new contract feels like a formality now.
Rio Ferdinand thinks Amad Diallo can be Manchester United’s number ten
Speaking to the club’s official website this week, Amad insisted that he is happy to play wherever Amorim wants him too.
‘If you need me as a keeper,’ he said, ‘I am ready to do my best!’
Of course, barring an injury crisis between the sticks, Amad is very unlikely to follow in the footsteps of John O’Shea and Rio Ferdinand while moonlighting in goalkeeping gloves. Little Amad’s 5ft 8ins frame hardly has the makings of a elite shot-stopper, for that matter.
But what Amad does provide is the ability to play both as a right-sided wing-back – he combines fierce off-the-ball work with wonderful dribbling qualities and superb decision making – as well as a more inverted, central operator.
Amorim is yet to use Amad as a number ten. But the aforementioned Ferdinand feels that the Ivory Coast international certainly has the attributes to thrive away from the touchline.
“I think Amad could play in one of those ‘ten’ positions, with Bruno,” Ferdinand says.
The 2008 Champions League winner is a little less confident, however, about the futures of Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and co under Ruben Amorim.
Hojlund scored a brilliant brace against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Amorim’s home debut but struggled badly against Arsenal. Garnacho, as a natural wide forward rather than a wing-back or a number ten, has some adapting to do as well.
And while Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee hit braces against Everton, consistency has been very elusive for the forward duo throughout the campaign.
Ferdinand has doubts over Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho under Amorim
“I worry about can the players that we have fit into what Amorim wants,” Ferdinand explains. “You look at Garnacho and you look at Rashford. Can they fit into that inside forward position, where the wingers come inside and almost become number tens at times?
“Is that really the position where they are going to excel? I hope they can grow that type of ability to play in there.
“Rasmus Hojlund. Is he going to be our [Viktor] Gyokeres? Is he going to be the guy that we can play through and play up to and play in behind for? I think that remains to be seen.
“Antony hasn’t shown that yet. Zirkzee as well, where’s he going to fit into all this? I think there’s more work to be done and more urgently in the forward areas because we don’t seem to have the cohesiveness up there.
“I can see where the defenders are going to fit in, and the midfielders. But there is more work to be done, and more urgently, in the forward areas because we don’t seem to have the cohesiveness in there.”
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