Amorim's plan to beat Spurs in Europa League final - Tim Hanlon

Rúben Amorim will step into his first European final as Manchester United manager on May 21 with a clear philosophy — and he’s unlikely to compromise it against Tottenham Hotspur.

Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, forged and refined at Sporting CP, has become the blueprint for his tenure at United.

And in the Europa League final, that setup is expected to remain — but with tailored adjustments to nullify Ange Postecoglou’s aggressive, possession-heavy style.

With injury doubts including over Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro, Amorim will likely rely on Harry Maguire to marshal a back three, flanked by either Ayden Heaven or Victor Lindelöf (if fit), and Luke Shaw.

United’s wing-backs — potentially Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu — will be crucial. Dalot will be tasked with containing Son Heung-min or Richarlison on the right, while Dorgu will provide the width to stretch Spurs’ high defensive line. Expect the back three to stay compact, shifting laterally as a unit to prevent central overloads.

A key area for United to watch will be their right-hand side with Destiny Udogie getting forward from left-back and coming inside which drags the United right winger out of position.

United face a Spurs side with its three most creative midfielders missing - Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall - and so don't be surprised to see Richarlison play up top with Dominic Solanke. Then Son and Brennan Johnson could play either side of Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur behind.

Bruno Fernandes is the key man in midfield and so the question is whether he will play a deeper role alongside Casemiro or further forward where he will have a more influential role in the final third of the pitch.

It is most likely that Casemiro and Ugarte are in central midfield with Fernandes in front of them to the right along with Garnacho, to the left, and behind Rasmus Hojlund.

But Fernandes will be given as usual flexibility to roam and find space which is both good and bad - he can drag Spurs out of position but he has also been criticised for not tracking back enough.

Like many players in the United side, Amorim's 3-4-3 system doesn't suit him very well and it is a case of making it work for him.

One of Amorim’s key principles is verticality — progressing quickly through the lines to exploit space. Expect United to press Spurs’ buildup, particularly targeting the centre-backs and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Rasmus Højlund will lead the line, supported by the pace of Garnacho and the intelligent passing of Fernandes.

“We’ll be brave — we respect Tottenham, but we’ll play our football,” Amorim said last week.

But crucial could be the substitutions with Amad Diallo probably United's most likely match winner with his trickery down the right wing. Mason Mount has also shown his ability to change games through the midfield after returning from injury.

With Champions League football and silverware on the line, Amorim will emphasize mental sharpness and positional discipline — keys to containing a Spurs side that thrives on chaos.

Expect United to press with purpose, attack with pace, and lean heavily on the leadership of Bruno Fernandes to manage the game in critical moments.