The NEW United?

I had been thinking of doing a quick post on what I think United's lineup might start to look like under new coach, Ruben Amorim, but - as so often - I find I am in almost complete agreement with FourFourTwo's excellent analyst Adam Clery.

The only thing I'd add here is that I can really see Zirkzee thriving as one of the 'twin 10s' (at the expense of Rashford...).

But, as Adam points out, there's sufficient depth in the United squad that Amorim has the scope to try different players in different positions, and perhaps vary the selection occasionally according to his opponent. With this level of uncertainty, I feel it's hugely risky to take on any United assets at the moment, even the mercurial Bruno. (Onana might be the one exception.)

I had thought Amorim might have to move away from his tried-and-trusted '3-4-3' in order to better fit the personnel he finds at Old Trafford; but early training-ground videos apparently show him working on that formation. The main reason I thought Amorim might have to drop this approach, or only phase it in slowly, was that it might be difficult - undiplomatic - to drop Garnacho and Diallo, who have been United's two most dangerous players so far this season. They are likely to be the main casualties of the new tactical set-up, since it doesn't really have any place for conventional wingers. Although it's commonly billed as a 3-4-3 formation, it's actually more a 3-4-2-1, with the 'wide' attackers actually playing fairly narrow, dropping in behind the main forward as support strikers or dual 'No. 10s'; while the wide midfielders are wing-backs, for which defenders with some attacking capability will be favoured (although Antony, whose defensive numbers are very impressive, might get a look-in here).

I also wonder if Mazraoui might be somewhat at risk, since he's newer to United, and perhaps a bit less adaptable than Dalot (who has plenty of experience playing on either flank for the club), and a bit less of an attacking threat. The Moroccan's start looks safe for now; but when Shaw and Malacia are available again on the left, I can see Dalot switching sides and becoming the preferred starter at right wing-back.

This will be bad news for some FPL managers, since (until the recent surge of optimism about Bruno), Mazraoui and Garnacho are the two most selected players from United. Oops...