Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville unleashed a detailed and passionate criticism of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim's tactical approach following a frustrating 1-1 home draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night.
Neville's Scathing Analysis of Amorim's System
The former United captain expressed his bewilderment at Amorim's decision to revert to a 3-4-3 formation, a system that has yielded poor results this season. This shift came just days after a switch to a 4-2-3-1 setup produced a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United, a performance that had suggested the team was making progress.
"This isn't right again," Neville stated emphatically during his Sky Sports commentary. "I've watched six out of their last seven games to know what looks right and what isn't right and I'm really surprised."
Neville took particular issue with how players were deployed within the flawed system. He highlighted Joshua Zirkzee being forced to track back into right-back areas, Diogo Dalot playing as an unnatural right wing-back, and Patrick Dorgu struggling on the left flank. "All of it just isn't as good as it was in the last couple of games," he argued, claiming the Old Trafford crowd shared his frustration.
A Night of Frustration at Old Trafford
The match itself was a story of missed opportunity for the Red Devils. They took the lead in the first half through Joshua Zirkzee, whose effort took a deflection off Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci for only his second Premier League goal of the season.
However, Wolves pegged them back just before half-time, with Krejci making amends by heading home an equaliser from eight yards out. The draw was especially disappointing given that United had thrashed the same opponents 4-1 at Molineux just three weeks prior.
United's misery was compounded in the final minute when Patrick Dorgu thought he had snatched a dramatic winner, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Aftermath and Manager Reaction
The result leaves Manchester United in sixth place heading into the New Year, a position that amplifies the scrutiny on Amorim's choices. The Portuguese manager was without several key players, including Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Bryan Mbeumo, and Amad Diallo.
Speaking to the BBC post-match, Amorim described it as a "strange game," acknowledging his team lacked the imagination to break down a resilient Wolves side. "We needed more imagination today to create chances," he admitted. "We struggled in the first half trying to steal the ball. They put a lot of men in the midfield. We tried, but the quality was not there."
Neville, however, remained unconvinced by the excuses, firmly placing the blame on the tactical blueprint. "The performances have been so much better in these last two or three games through the tweaks that have been made," he concluded. "But he's gone back tonight to his 3-4-3... it's not the right system."
