Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is beginning to find his footing at Old Trafford, as evidenced by a commanding 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad in the Europa League last-16 second leg on Thursday night. The win, which secured United’s place in the quarter-finals, showcased Amorim’s evolving understanding of how to maximize the talents of key players like Casemiro and Alejandro Garnacho, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise challenging season.
Amorim, who took the reins at United in November, has faced intense scrutiny amid a turbulent campaign that has seen the club languish in the bottom half of the Premier League and exit the FA Cup. However, his post-match comments following the emphatic win at Old Trafford revealed a manager steadily adapting to his squad’s strengths, particularly with seasoned midfielder Casemiro and young winger Garnacho.
“I think I am also learning how to use players like Casemiro,” Amorim told TNT Sports after the match. “Without a lot of options, we are trying to put our players in the best positions, and that helps us a lot. You can feel that they have more freedom.” The Portuguese tactician highlighted a specific moment from the first leg in Spain, noting how Garnacho’s pace on the right flank “showed me so many things,” prompting him to tweak the 20-year-old’s role to devastating effect in the return fixture.
Casemiro, the 33-year-old Brazilian signed for £70m from Real Madrid in 2022, has endured a rollercoaster tenure at United. Once a linchpin in Erik ten Hag’s setup, his game time dwindled under Amorim amid concerns over his mobility. Yet, against Real Sociedad, the veteran midfielder was a standout, earning a huge ovation from the Old Trafford faithful when substituted. “Casemiro gave us a little bit of calm,” Amorim explained. “Sometimes he takes a bit long, but he’s giving that first moment of build-up, and then you can push Bruno [Fernandes] near the goal, where he’s dangerous.”
That calmness was pivotal as United overturned a 1-1 draw from the first leg. Fernandes, freed up by Casemiro’s anchoring presence, delivered a hat-trick, while Garnacho’s dynamism on the right tormented Sociedad’s defense. The Argentine winger, who has struggled for consistency this season, thrived in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, completing passes with precision and creating chances that underscored his growing influence.
Amorim’s experimentation with Garnacho’s positioning has been a talking point in recent weeks. After deploying him as a right-sided No.10 against Arsenal last Sunday—a match that ended in a gritty 1-1 draw—the manager doubled down on the tweak against Sociedad. “One game in Spain, we tried to use the pace of Garnacho on the right, and he showed me so many things, maybe better than the left,” Amorim said, hinting at a long-term shift for the youngster who has traditionally operated on the left wing.
The victory was a much-needed boost for Amorim, whose side now sees the Europa League as their sole remaining shot at silverware and a potential backdoor into next season’s Champions League. It also offered a riposte to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who earlier this week labeled some United players “overpaid” and “underperforming”—a comment widely interpreted as a dig at high-earners like Casemiro.
Meanwhile, Garnacho’s resurgence under Amorim’s guidance has fans buzzing about the 20-year-old’s ceiling. His work rate—winning duels and tracking back—complements his flair, aligning perfectly with the high-pressing, transition-focused style Amorim honed at Sporting CP. “He’s good in transitions,” Amorim noted earlier this month, a quality that shone through as United dismantled Sociedad with swift counterattacks.
While challenges remain—United’s inconsistency and a lengthy injury list chief among them—Thursday’s result suggests Amorim is starting to crack the code with his squad. “It was a complete week,” he said. “We showed a bit of the future. The physicality was there.” For a club desperate to reclaim its past glory, unlocking the best from Casemiro’s experience and Garnacho’s exuberance could be the foundation Amorim needs to build upon.