Ruben Amorim's whacky plan for overcoming Man Utd's dismal starts revealed as Red Devils boss implements key change

In their last three home matches, United have started attacking the Stretford End - known for housing their most passionate supporters - in the first half, rather than their usual strategy of finishing matches towards that side. This change has been noticed in games against Ipswich Town, Fulham, and Arsenal, with captain Bruno Fernandes opting for his team to switch ends after winning the pre-match coin toss. According to The Athletic, this decision has been the brainchild of Amorim, who is desperate to address United’s slow starts at home.

Before their clash with Ipswich, the team had scored just one first-half goal in their previous seven home matches - a Fernandes penalty against Brighton on January 19. Their away form was even more alarming, with that same penalty being United’s only first-half goal in a staggering 17 consecutive fixtures across all competitions. Determined to alter this pattern, Amorim introduced the new kick-off approach with the hopes of injecting urgency into United’s early-game performances. The idea was to take control of matches sooner, rather than relying on second-half rallies to secure results.

The tweak has yielded mixed results, with minor signs of improvement. Against Ipswich, United fell behind early but responded strongly before the break, scoring twice - first via a Sam Morsy own goal, and the other a Matthijs de Ligt tap-in. However, the strategy did not pay off against Fulham in the FA Cup, as United struggled in the first half and only managed to equalise through Fernandes in the second half. Against Arsenal, though, the move appeared to have some impact, as Fernandes found the net with a free kick just before half-time.

Despite speculation that Sir Dave Brailsford, a well-known advocate for marginal gains, might have played a role in the decision, the change has been entirely driven by Amorim and addressed the importance of changing routines when things are not going well. Speaking to TNT Sports, he revealed: "I just give one bottle to my assistant (Carlos Fernandes). But I think I will change that because this is the time when you are not winning too much, you change things. The rest I change all the time."

With a crucial Europa League last-16 second-leg match against Real Sociedad coming up on Thursday, eyes will be on whether Fernandes repeats the strategy if he wins the coin toss. The first leg ended 1-1, making the return fixture at Old Trafford a must-win encounter.