Manchester United fans have already spotted something different about their team during Ruben Amorim’s first home game in charge.
Amorim, 39, received a warm welcome as he emerged from the Old Trafford tunnel ahead of United’s Europa League match against Bodø/Glimt on Thursday evening.
The new Red Devils head coach made six changes following their 1-1 draw against Ipswich at Portman Road last Sunday.
Marcus Rashford, Jonny Evans, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Amad, and Diogo Dalot were replaced by Rasmus Hojlund, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, Tyrell Antony, Malacia, and Lisandro Martinez.
However, it wasn’t just his lineup that caught fans off guard.
During the first half, supporters noticed United employing a strategy they hadn’t seen in a while.
One fan on X commented: “A few minutes in and De Ligt switching to RWB—something I’ve been hoping for. It’s a key feature of Amorim’s teams.”
Another added: “Maz + De Ligt has been one of the best moves recently.”
A third fan said: “[De Ligt] has been outstanding since the start of the season.”
Someone else shared: “I love him [De Ligt] so much. People criticize him for no reason. He’ll shine in a well-structured system.”
The Red Devils got off to a perfect start when the away team’s goalkeeper, Nikita Khaikin, made a costly mistake, allowing Alejandro Garnacho to score from close range within the first minute of the match.
However, the excitement at Old Trafford was short-lived, as the Norwegian side quickly equalized. Håkon Evjen curled a long-range shot past Andre Onana in the 19th minute, surprising the United fans.
Just four minutes later, Glimt took the lead through Philip Zinckernagel, who outran Malacia on the flank before calmly finishing past Onana.
As anxiety grew among the Old Trafford crowd and Amorim became more visibly frustrated, Hojlund controlled a precise cross from Noussair Mazraoui and finished expertly, bringing the score to 2-2 at halftime.
