Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has already seen one elite first-team talent at Old Trafford roll out the perfect blueprint to thrive in his tactical system.
Ruben Amorim’s tactical system for Manchester United sparked major debates during the 2024-25 Premier League season after he arrived at Old Trafford.
The 40-year-old United manager enjoyed incredible success with his tactics and philosophy at former side Sporting CP before he replaced Erik ten Hag in 2024.
Amorim didn’t hesitate to dramatically shake up the Red Devils’ entire playing style last season amid United’s already woeful run of form under Erik ten Hag at the time.
Gone were United’s traditional use of wingers that were a staple feature of the Sir Alex Ferguson era and the full-backs needed to also adapt to key wing-back roles.
The other major changes included United’s reliance on two No 10s under Amorim and the shift to a three-man backline, with a midfield pivot ahead of the defence.
What Leny Yoro said about his playing style showed the essential blueprint for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United tactical system
Ruben Amorim has normally opted to roll out his Manchester United team in a 3-4-2-1 formation instead of the 3-4-3 that he preferred to use at Sporting CP.
The Portuguese coach’s system yielded mixed results in the 2024-25 campaign, but some players also adapted to the tactical demands much more easily than others.
Leny Yoro was a standout player for Amorim during the woeful 2024-25 Premier League season for United and showed off his incredible versatility on the pitch.
The 19-year-old Frenchman has played on the right side of the three-man backline, but has also shifted to the left side amid Lisandro Martinez’s injury woes last season.
Despite being a right-footed player, Yoro has not looked out of place on the left side of Amorim’s system and he proved why even before he played under the manager.
Following his arrival from Lille in 2024, the French defender made it clear that he was both “really comfortable” on the ball and he was “not afraid to play.”
“In football today, you need to read the game, you need to understand your opponents and I try to focus on that,” Yoro said in his first sitdown interview with MUTV last summer, as per 90min.
“I’m also really comfortable with the ball. I’m not afraid to play.”
Leny Yoro’s two defining qualities have proven his essential role in the Ruben Amorim project at Man Utd
Rio Ferdinand has been a vocal champion for Leny Yoro and the 46-year-old United legend played a key role in bringing the French talent to Old Trafford last summer.
Yoro has been far from ‘untouchable’ in every match that he has played under Amorim, but he established that it was worth believing in the ‘hype’ around him.
The former Lille defender is only 19 years old and he overcame a 2024 pre-season injury before he established himself in the United first team without any questions.
Amorim has not had to think twice about whether or not Yoro’s emergence came about sooner than expected, but rather it felt very natural for the Frenchman.
Yoro’s ability on the ball while Lisandro Martinez has been injured and his fearless nature to play in a three-man backline have made him perfect for Amorim’s system.
Amorim has a lot of time ahead of him to overhaul his United first-team squad to fit his long-term plans, but one thing is for sure that Yoro is a key part of that vision.
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