Ruben Amorim must change and deploy unpopular Man United stance to avoid Liverpool humiliation

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is not a man for change.

The Portuguese has made it perfectly clear amid United's permacrisis that he won't alter how he wants his side to play. Change the players, even the coach, but Amorim won't compromise on his 3-4-3 system, which has brought him so much success at Sporting in Portugal.

Amorim's stance is admirable and may bring long-term benefits to the Reds. His predecessor, Erik ten Hag, altered his philosophy just two games into his Old Trafford reign after United lost 2-1 at home to Brighton before being hammered 4-0 at Brentford.

Results immediately improved under Ten Hag, with wins against Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester City, and Arsenal. Later that season, United ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup before finishing third in the Premier League.

But Ten Hag was never able to fully implement the style of football that got him the United job in the first place. His Ajax team were a swashbuckling side that dominated Real Madrid on the way to a Champions League semi-final in 2019.

Ten Hag's reign at M16 ultimately ended in failure, with it often commented on how the players at his disposal looked poorly coached. The Dutchman's decision to change how he approached things after just two games ended up costing him in the long term, even if it gave him some short-term gain.

And now Amorim is facing a similar conundrum ahead of Sunday's daunting trip to Liverpool. Arne Slot's team have lost just once across all competitions so far this season, with a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest the only blip.

United's greatest rivals now sit eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table and are firm favourites to equal their record of 20 English League