Alejandro Garnacho may get immediate new Man Utd role under Ruben Amorim

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho likely had the voice of new head coach Ruben Amorim echoing in his mind as he retired for the night on Sunday. The 20-year-old Argentine international, who started in attack and played a narrower role than usual, was the recipient of numerous instructions from Amorim during the first half at Portman Road.

In Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the width is provided by the wing-backs, a fact that was evident less than two minutes into the game when Amad sprinted down the right flank to assist Marcus Rashford’s goal. Diogo Dalot was given the responsibility of covering the left flank, with United frequently seeking him and Amad in wide positions.

Adapting to Amorim’s tactics will take time, possibly even months, before everything falls into place. Interestingly, at half-time, Amorim adjusted Garnacho’s position, moving him to the right flank to facilitate easier communication.

Bruno Fernandes had occupied this position in the first half.

Before United’s much-anticipated trip to Portman Road for the first time in over two decades, Amorim had dropped a subtle hint about Garnacho potentially starting in an advanced role, should he be chosen for the lineup. His thoughts on the matter were clear as he addressed the media: “We should start with full-backs because to teach a winger how to defend is harder.”

This led many to believe that Noussair Mazraoui and Dalot would naturally occupy the wing-back positions.

Yet, due to a lack of centre-back options, Mazraoui found himself unexpectedly drafted as a right-sided centre-back, thrusting Amad into the right-sided wing-back spot. .

Contrary to what some might have expected, Amad held his own, stamping his authority early on by setting up Rashford’s opening goal. Despite being out of his usual element defensively, picturing him in a wing-back position over an extended period seems like a stretch.

But as United’s squad adapts to Amorim’s new tactical approaches, expecting some rotation—and indeed experimentation—is part and parcel of this transition phase.

Which brings us to tonight’s match at Old Trafford against Bodo/Glimt, where the intriguing possibility of seeing Garnacho operate from a wing-back position cannot be entirely ruled out. United stride into this Europa League encounter with the odds stacked in their favour, eager to clinch all three points on offer.

And although their Europa journey thus far has shown that triumphs aren’t just handed on a platter, expectations are that the Red Devils will bring a fresh zeal and a voracious appetite to secure their inaugural home victory under Amorim’s leadership.

United should be looking to dominate the game tonight against their Norwegian opponents. As one of the heavyweights in this season’s competition, United should be asserting their dominance, especially when playing at home against lesser-known European teams.

With that in mind, it might be a good idea to try out Garnacho as a wing-back in a match where United are expected to have control. Amorim is likely to carry out several experiments in the coming weeks as he continues to understand his players and how they fit into his system.

Garnacho is a player who enjoys entertaining the crowd with his ball skills. Amad is a similar type of player.

In the long run, both players should aim to play up front, scoring and creating goals. However, in the short term, they may need to adapt to a slightly different role, just like Amad did against Ipswich.

There will be times when they will need to play as wing-backs. Playing against weaker opposition at home, on a night when the crowd is likely to be excited by Amorim’s recent arrival, could be the perfect opportunity for Garnacho’s trial.