TACTICAL SHIFT: RUBEN AMORIM'S BOLD CHANGES FUEL UNITED'S SELHURST PARK TURNAROUND
After a dreadful first half at Selhurst Park, Ruben Amorim's half-time team talk and bold substitutions spurred Man Utd to a vital 2-1 comeback win over Crystal Palace, stopping the 'rot' in November.
Ruben Amorim rushed to the Selhurst Park dressing room at halftime, with Manchester United down 1-0 after a poor first half. Whatever he said at halftime seemed to spark a change.
After a shaky November threatened to undo October's progress, United fought back to defeat a tired Crystal Palace. In what is always a long season, this victory was crucial to stop the slump, especially after a worrisome first-half showing in Croydon.
Before this game, United had won only once in their last 11 Premier League away matches—that was against Liverpool at Anfield last month. Amorim mentioned in the pre-match press talk that he wasn't sure why his team struggled away from home, but he emphasized that his players needed to close out games better.
Amorim left Patrick Dorgu out of the starting eleven, admitting he saw anxiety from the defender when he had the ball. Diogo Dalot took his place, but even Dalot hasn't been convincing at left wing-back this season.
Shea Lacey, 18, was the only attacking player on the bench. Kobbie Mainoo has played as a No. 10 at times, but Amorim has said he sees him mainly as a defensive midfielder. Before the game, only Arsenal (with six) had allowed fewer goals than Palace (nine) in the Premier League this season, and United had been toothless in attack against Everton earlier in the week.
Still, United had no excuse for not attacking on Sunday. Palace played against Strasbourg in France on Thursday, giving them just two days to prepare, unlike United's five days at Carrington. So, United came to Selhurst Park with a slight advantage.
Bryan Mbeumo patted Amad on the back as they headed back to the locker room before kickoff. Amad assisted Mbeumo against both Liverpool and Tottenham, making their link-up seem like a key factor again in this game. Though the pair were not at their best, United still clinched a win.
Dalot made a bigger impact in the first 30 seconds than Dorgu had in 58 minutes against Everton, launching a long throw into the box, but Casemiro failed to score from it.
The away fans sang '12 Days of Cantona' for two clear reasons: December was approaching fast, and the stadium was the site of Cantona’s infamous kung fu kick.
Amorim looked annoyed as Palace started creating chances. He paced the sideline, and the fourth official reminded him to stay in his coaching box. Soon after, Mbeumo got a yellow card for throwing the ball down in frustration.
Adam Wharton fired a shot right at Senne Lammens from just outside the box. Then Jean-Philippe Mateta missed an easy chance after Yoro’s mistake, and Yoro later blocked Yeremy Pino's shot. Yoro managed to recover after his earlier error that led to Mateta's opportunity.
Mateta kept causing trouble. He physically dominated Matthijs de Ligt and forced another mistake from Yoro, who fouled him unnecessarily in the box, giving away a clear penalty.
Mateta scored the penalty, but it was called back for a double touch. The rule that allows a retake after a failed penalty needs to be reconsidered. Anyway, Mateta made the second penalty.
"Boom, boom, Mateta's in the room" was chanted to the tune of the Vengaboys song twice in a row. This should have pushed United to respond strongly, but instead, they walked slowly off the field at halftime. Amad and Mbeumo weren't playing well, and United often struggle when those two don't perform.
Luke Shaw shook his head as the halftime whistle blew. Shaw, who has been at United for 11 years and was playing his 300th game for the club, played under five permanent managers during his time at Old Trafford. He might have been close to playing for another if United hadn't managed to turn things around. At least there won't be any big investigation on Monday morning.
Amorim made two halftime subs, and they paid off. Dalot played great, and Mason Mount scored a fantastic goal to put United up 2-1. It was a bold choice for Amorim to keep playing Joshua Zirkzee, but he proved right when the Dutchman scored a nice half-volley to bring the score level.
Zirkzee's shot had to be powerful to get past Dean Henderson—and it was. Since arriving from Bologna, Zirkzee hasn't always looked like a top striker, but if he can score more goals like that for United, he'll do just fine.
The Everton game was awful, and Amorim absolutely had to find a solution; in this game, he did.
UNITED BOARD SPLIT OVER CARRICK VS LUIS ENRIQUE FOR PERMANENT MANAGER ROLE
From 7th to the Top 4: Analysing Michael Carrick’s tactical masterclass and his chances at the permanent Man Utd job in 2026.
When Manchester United put Michael Carrick in charge back in January, the message was pretty clear: get us into the Champions League and we’ll call it a win. Honestly, with only one competition left, that was the goal. On Sunday, after a wild 3-2 victory against Liverpool, Carrick delivered. United booked their Champions League spot with three games still to play. A draw would’ve done the job, but a win feels sweeter.
Still, no one at Old Trafford promised Carrick the gig beyond this season just for pulling that off. When Carrick arrived, everyone figured he’d be here till May, plug the gaps, keep things steady, and then step aside for someone else.
But the way things have played out, it’s not so simple. Carrick’s done well enough to put himself in the mix, maybe even to stay on as coach next season.
The decision isn’t so straightforward, though. Let’s break down the arguments for and against making Carrick the permanent manager.
Why Carrick Might Not Be the Right Call
Look, there’s no denying he delivered. If United end up third, you can’t really ask for more this season. The tough part is his resume. Before this, Carrick managed for a short stretch in the Championship and half a season at United. If we pretend he’s not a club legend and just another guy who snagged a top-four spot after four months, would he be in the conversation for the United job? Not a chance.
Handing him the reins screams “safe pick” instead of real ambition. The new owners keep talking a big game about restoring United to their past glory, chasing the biggest names in coaching. If you want to show rivals you’re serious, you don’t usually go for the rookie manager with a feel-good story; you go big, like someone with Luis Enrique’s CV.
To be clear, Luis Enrique is just one example. There are plenty of coaches out there who would be considered heavy hitters and would make United’s rivals nervous. Appointing Carrick doesn’t really send shockwaves through City, Arsenal, or anyone else.
Beyond that, United under Carrick haven’t been flawless. Lately, their expected goals numbers have dipped, and that second half against Liverpool, where the team completely fell apart after going 2-0 up, leaves plenty of questions. They lost control and discipline, especially in the middle of the park.
And don’t forget this has an all-too-familiar feel for United fans. Ed Woodward, the club’s old executive vice-chairman, made a similar move with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: brought in a former player as caretaker, then kept him on permanently. People never shook the feeling that a more experienced manager could have taken the club to new heights. In the end, the club settled for comfort rather than reaching higher. It’s easy to spot the same pattern forming if Carrick gets the job full-time.
Why Carrick Makes Sense
But, honestly, if you look closer, what Carrick’s managed should get some credit. He didn’t just reach the Champions League; he did it with authority.
Back in January, United were seventh – not out of the race, but sitting eleven points behind City and Villa. Fast forward to now, and they’re not just in the top four; they’re ahead of Villa by six points, and they’ve already wrapped things up with games to spare. Carrick’s team beat all the other Big Six clubs and the rest of the current top five.
Since he took over, United have picked up more points than anyone else in the league. Yes, City have a couple of games in hand and could squeak ahead, but Carrick’s work stands out. Arsenal, meanwhile, have actually dropped more points in the same period.
What’s crazy is that he’s done this with almost the same squad Ruben Amorim had. Amorim was rigid, stuck to his system; Carrick’s been flexible, playing people where they thrive. He shifted away from Amorim’s three-at-the-back setup, freeing Bruno Fernandes to roam and influence games. Bruno looks like he could win Player of the Season. The change also let Kobbie Mainoo shine; he’s become a regular and signed a new deal, which is wild when you remember how little he played under Amorim.
That tells you two things: Carrick and his coaches know how to get the best out of this squad, and the players are totally behind him. Mainoo even said after beating Liverpool, “You want to follow him and fight for him and die for [Carrick] on the pitch.” Not much clearer than that.
For the club, keeping Carrick around feels like low risk. The players trust him; he knows the lay of the land, and you avoid the drama that comes with shaking up the whole operation, something the board might appreciate after the Amorim saga.
Plus, with United watching the bottom line, Carrick won’t break the bank. They can probably give him a short contract and keep their options open. If you try that with a coach like Luis Enrique, you’ll likely get shot down.
And let’s not ignore the timing. 2026 is a World Cup year, and if United find some momentum, they won’t want to throw it away by gambling on a new manager right before the tournament. If they do look elsewhere, it’ll probably be someone easy to hire right at the end of the season.
Andoni Iraola is a name people bring up, but after the Amorim experience, United may be wary of going for another up-and-coming coach. At least with Carrick, you know what you’re getting.
Right now, Carrick’s earned the right to be in the conversation. If United pass him over, it’ll just show they never really believed he was their guy long-term because, honestly, he’s done almost everything possible to prove himself.
PATRICK DORGU HITS BACK AT RUBEN AMORIM’S "ANXIOUS" COMMENTS IN NEW INTERVIEW
Patrick Dorgu addresses Ruben Amorim’s "anxiety" comments, crediting Michael Carrick for his Manchester United resurgence and form.
Patrick Dorgu felt the sting from Ruben Amorim’s criticism after Amorim said you could “feel the anxiety” whenever Dorgu got the ball during those rough final weeks at Old Trafford.
Amorim, who had taken over after leaving Sporting Lisbon, got sacked by United in early January. The results just weren’t good enough during his 14 months in charge. Then Michael Carrick came in as the interim boss, and things started to turn around.
Back in November, after a 1-0 loss to Everton, Amorim pointed the finger at Dorgu, who’d joined from Lecce for £25 million the previous year. “You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball,” he said. Honestly, that probably cut a bit deeper than he expected.
Four months later, and looking back, Dorgu admits Amorim’s words got under his skin, but he tried to turn them into motivation to prove himself.
“It hit me a little bit when Amorim said that,” Dorgu told The Telegraph. “When your coach criticises you, of course, it affects you. But I tried to take it in stride and improve my game.”
He was starting to hit his stride before Amorim left. When some of his teammates headed to Afcon, Dorgu found himself playing more and felt his rhythm coming back.
“I just tried to carry that confidence over to playing under Fletcher and Carrick,” he said. “I wanted to play with more freedom, just show what I could do.”
Dorgu hadn’t played since January because of a nasty hamstring injury he picked up in a 3-2 win at Arsenal, a game where he actually scored. He’d been one of Carrick’s brightest performers in those early weeks right before getting hurt.
Now, under Carrick, United are pretty much locked in for a Champions League return next season, and Carrick’s got a real shot at the permanent job. Looking back on Amorim’s comments, Dorgu feels they came when his confidence was at rock bottom, with the team struggling all around him.
“I don’t think ‘anxious’ is the right word,” Dorgu said. “It wasn’t that. I just had no confidence, and the team was struggling.”
He felt the timing of Amorim’s remarks was off, especially since he’d been playing well with his national team. “I don’t see how I can play well in one place and then be called anxious in another. I think he just said it at the wrong time.”
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