Manchester United travel to Aston Villa on Sunday looking to extend their unbeaten run to five matches in the Premier League
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has insisted his team will have to play differently if they are to come away with a positive result at Aston Villa on Sunday. The Reds travel to the West Midlands this weekend off the back of a dramatic 4-4 draw at home to Bournemouth.
During the game, United seemed to slip between a back four and three-man defensive units. Amorim has been reluctant to change from his favoured 3-4-2-1 system since arriving at Old Trafford and this has sometimes been to his detriment with United looking blunt in attack – particularly in the defeat to Everton.
However, the Reds are going to need to be flexible in the coming weeks as Noussair Mazraoui, Amad and Bryan Mbeumo remain absent due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Speaking to MUTV prior to the trip to Villa, Amorim suggested a change in how United play is on the cards.
He explained: “I think they [Villa] are doing really well. They are a mature team, they can understand every moment of the game. They play together for a while. They have a very good manager but I am really focused on our team.
“We need to play a little bit different because we lost some one against ones. So we shall see but we will be ready for the game.” Monday night saw the return of Benjamin Sesko to the pitch for the first time since his knee injury suffered at Tottenham.
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Evaluating his return, Amorim added: “He is a different type of striker. He is the only type of striker we have because Josh [Zirkzee] is more like a nine and ten at the same time.
“Zirkzee is a little bit more like [Matheus] Cunha. Ben is a guy who likes to be on the box.
“He makes a lot of runs. Of course, if you look at him, you feel that he has so much more to give.
“He is improving. The physicality was one month without playing but he is ready and he is going to help us.”
United currently sit sixth in the Premier League having missed the chance to be level on points with Chelsea after the Bournemouth draw. A top four finish will be the Reds’ aim this season so they are guaranteed a spot in the Champions League.
However, there is a possibility United could finish fifth and enter the competition should English teams perform well in Europe this season. Amorim’s men sit seven points behind Villa at the start of the weekend.
Unai Emery’s side have enjoyed a remarkable run of form in recent weeks after a slow start to the campaign. They have won all nine of their previous matches and are full of confidence thanks to a 3-2 comeback win over West Ham last Sunday.
