Liverpool's reason for rejecting Ruben Amorim as Man Utd boss heads to Anfield

Ruben Amorim might head to Anfield this weekend with a sense of what might have been.

The Portuguese coach takes his struggling Manchester United team to Merseyside on Sunday. The Red Devils have lost their last four games, with the former Sporting Lisbon boss already under huge pressure.

The same cannot quite be said of Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who has the Reds sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League and the clear favourites to claim the title. It begs the question whether the same would have happened had the Merseysiders followed up on their interest in Amorim.

The 39-year-old was identified as one of the front-runners for their managerial vacancy following Jurgen Klopp’s exit. And he looked to be a fantastic candidate given the excellent work he had done with Braga and Sporting Lisbon.

He had the reputation as one of the most promising young managers in Europe so a swoop was certainly exciting. Unfortunately for Amorim, he lost out to Slot after Liverpool agreed compensation with his former club Feyenoord.

And there was a very good reason for Liverpool going in a different direction - disagreements over his tactics. Amorim has long been wedded to his 3-4-3 approach.

And while that is somewhat valid given the success he enjoyed with his former clubs, Liverpool wanted more tactical flexibility. And they have got exactly that with Slot, who has taken the 4-2-3-1 employed by predecessor Klopp, with only slight differences.

Meanwhile, Amorim’s reliance on his ideology has already become a major talking point at Old Trafford. But the Portuguese is determined to stick by his tactical approach.

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“Maybe, or you continue with your idea and they have to change the coach,” he said recently. “I was here because of my idea and I will continue to do my idea until the end.”

It would not be beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that there would have been similar teething issues for Amorim at Anfield should he had become Liverpool boss. The Reds would have required a complete tactical reset - and that would have seen some of their brightest stars this season potentially struggle to have the same impact.

Ryan Gravenberch has thrived in a more deep-lying role this term, a position that might not have been afforded to him under Amorim. Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo has shone on the left but may not have been handed that position by the Portuguese.

Amorim may also have required heavy investment in the transfer market to acquire players to fit into his system. Slot in the meantime has been frugal - Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili the only signings he has made so far.

But all of those decisions are now elementary given Amorim is now the man who will be trying to get the better of Slot when it comes to his tactics. And while he might have a sense of what might have been before the game, he is now forced to focus on what currently is.

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