TA: Is Ruben Amorim about to change his Manchester United formation?

Ruben Amorim addressed his players in a team meeting before facing Wolverhampton Wanderers and effectively told them: “A change is coming.”

Manchester United’s head coach did not elaborate too much, but left those listening with the distinct impression that a tactical shift was on the horizon.

The trip to Molineux last Monday would, Amorim said, go ahead with the usual system but once that contest was over, United needed to think more deeply about the scheduled absences of Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad (Ivory Coast) and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) at the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins next weekend.

The impending removal of three players who have more than once formed United’s right side in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation this season has given the Portuguese and his coaching staff plenty to ponder.

One option, it appears, would be a move to a formation that more often looks like a 4-3-3. According to sources close to the club, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships, a significant amount of time during training sessions in preparation for the visit by Bournemouth today (Monday) has been dedicated to the side lining up in that shape.

That can, in part, be attributed to United practising pressing schemes, with Amorim working on a 4-3-3 defensive system. But together with his message to the players before the Wolves game, and his statements in press conferences, an evolution from his back-three dogma seems to be a call he is seriously deliberating.

While Amorim has been signalling his intent to adapt his approach for some time — while always stressing he wanted to do so on his own terms rather than reacting to external pressures — it would still represent a major shift.

On Friday, Amorim was asked how striker Benjamin Sesko’s impending return after more than a month out with a knee injury would impact his selections.

“I think it’s not just Ben but everyone,” Amorim said. “We need to adapt a little bit the way we are going to play the games, and that is a good opportunity to do that because we cannot think that we are going to play the same way without Amad, Bryan and Nous (Mazraoui), but especially Amad and Bryan because of the characteristics. That is really hard to get.

“They have more or less the same characteristics, the both of them, and we are losing them for a few games. But it’s a good opportunity for us to try to play in a different way.”

Later, he added: “I think we need to work on the variability of the way we play, especially in the build-up. I think I need to find different ways to take all the juice from the team, from the squad. I’m just trying to find out solutions to win more games.”

That relationship between Mbeumo and Amad at No 10 and wing-back on the right side of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 has been a stand-out feature this season, with both left-footed players capable of dribbling past opponents, combining with the other on passes, and cutting inside to threaten defences. Their attacking capabilities, regularly balanced by Diogo Dalot’s more customary full-back qualities at left wing-back, give Amorim’s system greater creative potential.

Mbeumo and Amad have started in these roles in nine of 15 Premier League games so far, against Fulham, Burnley, Sunderland, Liverpool, Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Wolves. At Molineux a week ago, particularly in the second half, Mbeumo and Amad rotated positions as United attacked with verve before falling back into shape upon losing possession.

Mbeumo and Amad have also started four matches as twin No 10s, against Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton. Mazraoui started at right wing-back in all those games, and filled the right-sided centre-back role against West Ham and Wolves.

United had last week been hopeful of having Mbeumo and Amad available for the Bournemouth match, with Mazraoui a slightly different case, as negotiations continued on their reporting dates for AFCON duties.

World football governing body FIFA announced clubs would only have to release players seven days ahead of the tournament starting — rather than two weeks — but United’s match in this round of Premier League fixtures being delayed until tonight for TV broadcast complicates matters. Morocco, as the host nation, are in the opening game, facing Comoros on Sunday. Cameroon and Ivory Coast don’t have their first group matches until three days later.

Mazraoui’s absence for the Bournemouth game had been anticipated, but he stayed in England beyond his expected departure date, following two days off for the squad after the Wolves trip, raising hope of his possible inclusion.

On Friday, Amorim said: “We are still in conversations with the national teams. The game is Monday, they (the players) are here and training, but we are preparing all the scenarios for the game.”

He added: “It’s frustrating, but at the same time, nobody knows who is going to play (against Bournemouth), so it’s a good thing. We have players to cope with everything. With a long week, you can see a lot of things and work on stuff to prepare for any situation.”

In each answer, Amorim hinted at tactical contingencies to compensate for the loss of the three players. The tournament’s final is on January 18, so any involvement in it from the trio would mean missing games against Aston Villa, Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds, Burnley, Brighton (in the FA Cup) and Manchester City.

Whether Amorim sends his team out to face Bournemouth, or in future matches, in a 4-3-3 remains to be seen. He has before now made the 3-4-2-1 formation, which brought him two Portuguese titles at Sporting CP, an immovable bedrock of his vision. In September, before the home win against Chelsea, he said “not even the Pope” could get him to change from it if he did not want to. But he has consistently said he would adapt as time goes on, so long as he felt it was right rather than due to external noise.

The start of AFCON, combined with injuries to Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire, provides context for why Amorim might now decide to make that move. He has Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven available as fit centre-backs.

Informing his players before facing Wolves shows them this would be a pre-planned decision, rather than any reaction to what happened in that game at Molineux, and should he follow through, Amorim is doing so from a position of greater strength — off the back of a comfortable victory and with United sixth in the Premier League entering the weekend’s fixtures.

Amorim gave the first indication of his thinking after his team beat Wolves 4-1. “We need to improve the way we play,” he said. “I think we need to find a different way to play sometimes. So we are thinking about that. We are working on that. And Bournemouth is going to be a different world.”

Before that Chelsea match almost three months ago, some training sessions saw Amorim’s team shape up in a 4-3-3, and that formation has been visible during certain parts of games too, depending on the location of the ball.