Amorim’s wingers, who sit just behind the striker to form a box-shape with the two central midfielders, tend to be direct runners capable of pressing hard and weaving their way through the lines in the transition.
His wingers are expected to run at defenders, hence why Sporting top the Primeira Liga charts this season for progressive carries (262).
In other words, Amorim prefers the polar opposite of the mercurial Fernandes, a traditional number 10 whose free roaming might not work in such a fine-tuned system.
Alejandro Garnacho, on the other hand, could be the perfect fit. He loves to dribble through a crowd, completing 41 progressive carries this campaign, not far off double that of any other United player.
Another possible beneficiary is Marcus Rashford, who loves to cut in off the left and run at defenders. In 2022-23, when he scored 30 goals in all competitions, Rashford attempted more dribbles (138) than any other Premier League player bar Bukayo Saka (147).
However, Rashford would need to recapture those 2022-23 levels, with his progressive ball carry figures only at 16 this season.
