Ruben Amorim made a bold decision right before the Manchester Derby by removing Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squad. According to the Portuguese strategist, this was based on many factors, including performance in matches and training sessions.
The match at the Etihad took place with a surprising scenario when Mason Mount left the field early due to injury, giving Bruno Fernandes a place to play in the attacking midfielder position. The duo Amad and Bruno showed their effectiveness when shining to help Man United come back to defeat arch-rivals Man City.
In particular, Amad continued to affirm his impressive form when he earned a penalty for Bruno to equalize. Moreover, the Ivorian striker directly scored the goal to seal the 2-1 score for the "Red Devils". Thus, under the guidance of Ruben Amorim, the star born in 2002 contributed 1 goal and 4 assists.
Right after the Derby, Marcus Rashford shared publicly for the first time about the decision to be eliminated. In an interview, the English striker admitted that he felt disappointed and left the possibility of leaving the club open. He also said that adapting to Amorim's system was not easy. The role of a "left-sided number 10" in the 4-2-3-1 formation required Rashford to change the way he played.
To understand what Amorim expects from Rashford and Garnacho, let's look at how Amad stands out not only in his decisive plays but also in his flexibility and intelligence in playing style.
In the past, when facing teams in the Big Six, Man United often increased the attack speed after conceding a goal, making the formation susceptible to stretching and giving opponents more opportunities to counterattack. However, under Amorim, the Old Trafford team has changed the way they react.
In the match against Man City, Man United kept the ball patiently, forcing the opponent to lose patience and push high. Amad is an important factor in this way of operating as the Ivorian striker moves constantly, carefully observes teammates and opponents, and takes advantage of close coordination with Noussair Mazraoui. The duo have developed an impressive connection on the right wing, helping Amad not only create opportunities but also maintain control in difficult situations.
Ruben Amorim's diagram requires attackers to operate in tight spaces, know how to hold the ball, coordinate and hold a good position even when they do not have the ball. While Amad did these things very well, Rashford and Garnacho were ineffective.
According to statistics, only 18% of Amad's dribbles have been towards the bottom of the table (6/34), compared to 27% by Garnacho and 26% by Rashford. This reflects the difference in style as Amad often considers carefully before deciding, while the other two tend to rely on speed to overcome opponents.
Although speed is an important weapon, especially when Man United need to break the opponent's defense, to succeed in the new system, both Rashford and Garnacho need to learn to keep the ball more confidently and make less mistakes.
Notably, Amad Diallo has initiated 77 midfield attacks in five Premier League games under Amorim, double Garnacho (39) and three times Rashford (23). This proves his outstanding adaptability in the role of number 10. In terms of defense, the Ivorian star also excels in having a higher success rate in the challenges, recovering the ball and blocking the ball than his two teammates mentioned above.
In many matches, Rashford has shown inconsistency in pressing, while Garnacho often lost focus when the opponent moved underground. Although the Argentine striker has shown potential in some matches, he often plays well in the first half and loses in the second half.
On the contrary, Amad appeared calm and knew how to read situations, helping him make effective moves that led to goals. This explains why he has been Amorim's first choice since his arrival at Old Trafford.
With a tight schedule in 4 arenas, Rashford and Garnacho still have the opportunity to show themselves. However, to truly shine under Amorim, they need to learn to control the tempo of the game, keep the ball firm and increase accuracy in coordination. Meanwhile, Amad continues to be a testament to his adaptability and suitability with the new system.
