With Ruben Amorim out of the door, a few Manchester United players might find it difficult to maintain the form that had them playing week in, week out over the past 14 months.

Needless to say, a managerial change will always have a major impact on the fortunes of several players, as some will see their status elevated, with others taking the fall.

Following Amorim’s unceremonious sacking on Monday, the major emphasis has been on the Man Utd stars who were starved of playing time under the Portuguese manager, and chief among them is Kobbie Mainoo.

Joshua Zirkzee is another MUFC player who could benefit from the change, after seeing his playing time immensely decreased since the start of the season.

But despite all the talk about Man Utd players loathing Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation, some of them might end up missing the much-maligned system, as the club looks to revert to a more traditional four-man backline, whether under current caretaker Darren Fletcher or any other interim manager who could take the reins until June.

So, let’s take a closer look at five United stars who might struggle to replicate their exploits under Amorim in the new regime.

Harry Maguire

The Sheffield native was reduced to a figure of ridicule by the unforgiving fans and media during the reigns of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag. However, the Englishman’s career witnessed an unexpected revival under Amorim.

The England defender looked much more comfortable while operating in a three-man backline, where he could sit at the heart of the defence and engage in a direct duel with the centre-forward, rather than having to drift wide and risk losing his man. He also emerged as the unlikely hero on some occasions, scoring astonishing winners against Lyon and Liverpool last year.

With a return to a four-man defence and amidst a strong competition for places, one might wonder if Maguire still has a prominent role at the club as his contract nears its expiry date.

Matthijs de Ligt

Like Maguire, the Dutchman has often fared better when playing with three at the back. This has been a recurring trend dating back to his early days at Ajax, and reconfirmed by his stints at Juventus, Bayern Munich, and currently at United.

The 26-year-old remains a proper defender, regardless of the system, but the new shape might not help him maximise his potential.

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Patrick Dorgu

In a 3-4-3 system, the young Dane was a natural fit for the left wing-back role. However, the new system will leave the manager wondering where to field him.

The 21-year-old has been featuring as a winger in recent weeks, but once Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo return from the African Cup of Nations, he won’t find much room in the attacking department.

Dorgu will certainly be a candidate for the left-back slot, which is his original role, but most managers would prefer the more experienced and defensively apt Luke Shaw in this role.

Casemiro

Perhaps Casemiro’s revitalised form under Amorim wasn’t entirely down to the formation, but rather the Portuguese’s clever tactical tweak after realising that the Brazilian is no longer capable of covering every ounce of the pitch as he used during his Real Madrid heyday.

“We understood he (Casemiro) can no longer jump all the time, pressing high,” explained Amorim last May.

“So sometimes it’s better to let him be the fourth defender and then put the wingbacks pressing high, so these are small things we’re trying to understand, trying to cope with all the characteristics of all the team, but the credit is for Casemiro.”

However, one might wonder if this can be embedded in a four-man backline. Moreover, a 4-2-3-1 formation is generally synanymous with a faster brand of football, so it remains to be seen if the veteran will be able to cope with a higher rhythm.

Mason Mount

With Amorim insisting on deploying Bruno Fernandes as part of the double pivot, Mount emerged as the manager’s ultimate choice for the attacking-midfielder role.

However, most managers would prefer to field the skipper in his original No.10 role, as we saw on Fletcher’s debut against Burnley. And with Matheus Cunha, Amad and Mbeumo vying for the wing roles, Mount could become the latest United player to suffer the Bruno-understudy syndrome, the one that almost drove Mainoo out of Carrington.

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