Ruben Amorim admitted that a few players were thriving in his tactics.

Ruben Amorim was appointed Manchester United manager in November, inheriting a squad built by several of his predecessors. However, only two new signings have been made during his tenure, underlining the pressure and challenges facing the Portuguese.

Of Manchester United's two new signings, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven have quickly made their mark at the club. Young defender Ayden Heaven in particular was a standout performer in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal last weekend, attracting the attention of fans. Heaven, who moved to Old Trafford from Arsenal last month, has built a solid reputation in Arsenal's youth set-up and is now slowly establishing himself in United's first team.

Ruben Amorim has not hesitated to hand Heaven his first start for the Red Devils, coming on as a substitute in United's FA Cup defeat to Fulham.

A major squad overhaul is being planned for next summer under Amorim. The 38-year-old has been honest with his players about the possibility of some leaving the club. In the meantime, he is trying to get the best out of his current squad, although this is proving to be a challenge as his 3-4-3 style of play has yet to fully sink in.

Amorim's first spell at Manchester United has not been easy, but some players, such as Noussair Mazraoui, have found their rhythm better than others. Amorim heaped praise on Mazraoui after the Europa League win over Bodo/Glimt, as he thrived as a centre-back in a three-man defence.

Ruben Amorim acknowledged a strong development player (photo of Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Amorim has praised Mazraoui for his football IQ and versatility, noting that “he knows how to attack, is very technical, good at defending and is excellent in one-on-one situations”. He believes that Mazraoui can become the “future” of the club.

Mazraoui joined Manchester United for just £13m in the summer, and it has taken him little time to settle in. This season, Mazraoui has played in a variety of positions including full-back, centre-back and wing-back. Amorim has also hinted that Mazraoui could take on a new role in the future, although it may not be as significant as when Erik ten Hag played him as a number 10 in the Europa League.

Amorim has stressed that it is not the system but the philosophy that matters, which was most evident in Casemiro’s performance against Arsenal. Playing in a deep block with a lot of players around him, Casemiro showed his ability to clear up opposition attacks and initiate counter-attacks.

Casemiro Received many Compliments from Ruben Amorim and from Experts in Recent Times. (Stuart Macfarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

After the match, Amorim mentioned that Casemiro needs space to perform at his best. He expressed that "Casemiro feels more comfortable in games like this, where there is less space to cover".

The Portuguese coach insisted that United need "more possession, more control and higher pressing". Going forward, he wants to move the team towards an attacking style of play rather than just defending in a deep block.

The transition from counter-attacking to attacking play has been a weakness of previous Man Utd managers. The fact that Amorim came in with a clear plan and implemented it immediately was appreciated. Despite the difficulties he faced growing up, he has always kept his vision of the big picture, despite the disappointing results.

Ruben Amorim faces a huge challenge in rebuilding Manchester United, from making personnel decisions to implementing the right tactics. With new signings like Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui, he hopes to build a stronger team for the future.