The Manchester United Christmas Tree

Rúben Amorim’s commitment to a three-at-the-back system, supported by advanced wing-backs, marks a clear departure from the traditional English back four.

The Maguire Factor and the Left-Sided Puzzle



At the heart of Amorim’s setup is Harry Maguire, deployed as the left-sided central defender. Having a natural left footer in this position is crucial, and after Lisandro Martínez suffered a season-ending cruciate injury against Crystal Palace on February 2nd, 2025, Amorim moved quickly to secure Ayden Heaven from Arsenal for £1.5m the previous day.



Although Luke Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui have filled in at times, neither is the natural fit Amorim demands. Shaw remains a conventional full-back, while Mazraoui prefers his right foot, limiting his effectiveness on the left side of a back three.





Defensive Wing-Backs and Flexibility



Amorim’s system depends heavily on wing-backs, who must shift between attack and defense seamlessly. On the right, Diogo Dalot often drops into a traditional full-back role when under pressure, while Maguire adapts his positioning across the line. On the left, Patrick Dorgu has been trusted to balance his attacking instincts with the defensive responsibilities required of the role.



This fluidity allows United to cope with pacey wide men like Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, while maintaining defensive stability through positional rotations across the backline.





From Solidity to the “Christmas Tree”



When Amorim opts for attacking wing-backs, United morph into what he calls the “Christmas tree” shape — inverted wing-backs and inside forwards pushing play centrally towards goal. Amad Diallo, cutting inside from the right, and Matheus Cunha, attacking from the left, are key to this transition. With Benjamin Šeško leading the line, United’s attack funnels aggressively into the box.



Diogo Dalot has even been deployed as an inverted left wing-back in the absence of a natural fit, creating a lopsided but purposeful attacking pattern. Bruno Fernandes, as playmaker, orchestrates the transitions, supported by either Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, or Mason Mount in midfield.





Squad Changes and Midfield Support



The departures of Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea (£40m) and Christian Eriksen, alongside Marcus Rashford’s loan to Barcelona, have reduced Fernandes’ creative support. This places even greater emphasis on Amorim’s structural tactics and the ability of his wing-backs and inverted forwards to provide attacking thrust.





Silverware Pressure in 2025–26



United’s 2024–25 campaign ended in disappointment, losing the Europa League final 1-0 to Spurs and missing out on European qualification. A shock EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town on penalties has already reduced the trophy options this season to the Premier League and FA Cup.



With the FA Cup not starting until January 2026 for Premier League clubs, Amorim faces the challenge of improving league form quickly. Otherwise, his tactical revolution could end up remembered more for theory than for silverware.