Can Manchester United reduce the number of goals it concedes without reducing the number of goals it scores?

It is important to look at the tactical changes Amorim has made recently.

United began to use the long distribution of goalkeeper Signe Lamins, building short attacks less often and reducing the number of times defenders lost the ball.

United are also able to stay tighter as the defense and midfield lines collectively move higher up the pitch when the goalkeeper releases them wide. This reduces the distance between players and helps United win more second balls while conceding fewer counter-attacks.

This direct style suits United’s quick forwards and has generally improved their defensive play due to better spacing, especially against high-pressing teams such as Liverpool and Brighton.

Against teams that are deeper, United’s direct approach becomes less effective. With less space at the back, United were instead tasked with breaking teams apart, and limiting their impressive counter-attacking threats.

Although United’s attacking threat is reduced in these situations, they can look more defensively secure when their team is positioned high, corralling opponents.

Off the ball, Amorim improved his pressing structure. His previous 5-2-3 pressing often left large gaps between midfield and attack. Although they still press this way at times, Luke Shaw has recently been tasked with getting into the midfield when pressing, creating a 4-3-3 formation.

When defending deep, Amorim moved from a 5-2-3 formation to a 5-4-1 which makes United more difficult to attack due to the wider defensive coverage.

United’s players maintain deep positions allowing opponents to have time and space on the ball in front of the defensive and midfield lines. Opponents have enough time to switch plays or cross from wide areas and United’s defense in the box, especially at the back post, was questionable.

United may continue to play more direct, keeping less possession. This will result in more goals being scored.

However, it means they will likely be asked to defend their penalty area in a 5-4-1 formation for long periods.

In this scenario, if United are able to be more proactive in their 5-4-1, getting out players before they pass over them and improving their defending inside the box, they can retain their attacking threat while conceding fewer goals.

Alternatively, United can look more in control of the ball when teams set up a deeper attack against them. This would allow them to set up strongly defensively behind the ball, while attacking, ready to pounce on opponents if the ball is lost.

However, this approach underestimates the attacking power of their best players. Amorim United will need to open up stubborn defenses more reliably for this approach to become more viable.