Opinion: Refreshing change from Amorim sees Man United stars break free of the shackles | OneFootball

In the space of two games, there’s a marked improvement in Man United’s style of play, and the slight tweaks and changes from Ruben Amorim freeing his players up to express themselves more fully and, seemingly, enjoy themselves.

The Portuguese admitted in a post-match interview that he hasn’t had a lot of time to work with the players and so therefore can’t control things as well as he might like, leading to some anxiety during games.

Amorim gives Man United players licence to thrill

Against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, that’s not something that could be detected amongst the players.

Even when they surprisingly went 2-1 down, there wasn’t that usual air of resignation at Old Trafford that religiously appeared under Erik ten Hag.

You could sense that everyone felt it wouldn’t be long before United were back in the game, and so it proved.

Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team’s second goal against Bodo/Glimt. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Rasmus Hojlund looked a player free of the shackles placed under him by the previous regime and, like many other of his colleagues, his associative play and desire was at a much higher level than has been seen previously.

Patterns of play have emerged that just weren’t there under the Dutchman, and that’s significant. There have already been rumours of how a future Amorim side could line up in his preferred 3-4-3 formation too.

What the new way of working indicates is that the Portuguese is already getting buy-in from his staff who appear to have publicly admitted that training is better since ten Hag left.

If Amorim can win over his players in terms of the methods he undertakes, that’s half the battle won.

Certainly, the buzz inside the Theatre of Dreams was back, and that may be because the supporters can see the green shoots of recovery.

Stan Collymore’s contention that all of United’s players should be up for sale until they prove to Amorim that they’re good enough looked a little hollow at the end of the game, but supporters have been here before of course.

Judgement will be reserved for a while longer, but there’s something about Amorim and the way he gets his team’s playing that’s intoxicating.