Ruben Amorim says he does not expect reinforcements to be made to his team in the January transfer window as they look to halt Manchester United’s worrying slide towards the relegation zone.
Monday’s loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford was United’s fourth successive defeat in all competitions. This leaves Amorim’s side 14th in the table and just seven points from the drop zone.
One of the problems facing the Portuguese manager is a lack of players to fit his 3-4-3 system, but he does not expect the club to spend money to fix that when the transfer window opens on Wednesday.
“There’s no such possibility in January,” Amorim said. “You know the situation better than I do. It’s not a situation where I won’t come here, and I could spend a lot of money and change the whole team. There’s nothing to talk about because you know the situation well.”
Sources have told ESPN that any business United do in January will depend on players leaving. The club are open to both a permanent transfer or a loan and a new left wing-back would be a priority if money is available.
– 13 players likely to transfer in January: Marcus Rashford?
Amorim is already facing questions about whether he should adapt his system to the players he has available.
But the 39-year-old insisted he would stick to the 3-4-3 as he prepares for a tough trip to Anfield to face league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
“I need to sell my idea.” he said “If I keep changing, it’ll get worse. But I understand they’re having a lot of trouble because they’ve only been playing one-way for two years. I can feel it, I can feel it, but I have to sell my ideas. I don’t have anyone else.”
Amorim, who has played in a 3-4-3 throughout his managerial career, also rejected suggestions that a return to 4-3-3, the system favored by his predecessor Erik ten Hag, would solve some of the problems facing the team. .
“Especially in these types of clubs, when coaches change, it’s because they don’t win,” Amorim added.
“They were playing and losing in the system they bought into. So am I going to change to that system? This team is already in trouble.”