Alan Shearer has accused former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim of “arrogance” after his interim replacement Michael Carrick has won both of his games since taking the helm.
The Red Devils followed up a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Manchester City with a dramatic 3-2 win over league-leaders Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday to push them into the Premier League’s top four.
Questions are already being asked over Carrick’s suitability to the permanent job at Old Trafford, such is the improvement he’s made in the team in such a short space of time.
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Roy Keane in particular has urged caution in bestowing too much praise upon Carrick – this could of course be little more than a ‘new manager bounce’ – but even he can’t deny the mood has shifted dramatically.
And Shearer wonders what Amorim – who was sacked earlier this month after a breakdown in the relationship with the club bosses – must be making of the turnaround.
One of the key changes Carrick has made is a move to a 4-2-3-1 formation after Amorim ploughed on with his 3-4-3 system, refusing to alter it despite the shocking results and performances.
“What on earth is Ruben Amorim sat doing, thinking, looking at those two performances? I mean honestly, I don’t know what he’ll be thinking,” Shearer said on The Rest Is Football.
“It’s absolutely crazy [to not change his formation]. The arrogance to say, ‘No, I’m not doing any other thing. This is my way or the highway.’
“I mean, to not even shift or to accept that this is probably not working, ‘Maybe I should try something else.’
“He put all his eggs into that basket, and if that didn’t work, he was done. And it didn’t.”
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Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast after the win at Arsenal, Neville said Amorim had “conditioned” people to think Mainoo could not play alongside Bruno Fernandes, but that is not the case.
“Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, to be fair, he’s not his absolute best today. But what you do see is a player,” said the former Red Devils full-back.
“This idea, we were sort of conditioned to think that he couldn’t play with Bruno Fernandes in the team…. him or Fernandes. I mean, that’s wrong. That’s wrong.
“I think that Kobbie Mainoo is demonstrating that he can play the two in midfield, even with Casemiro, who is getting on a little bit now, but even he looks different in this last couple.
“They play nice little passes with each other. I’m absolutely delighted with the performances.”
