Amorim first tried a back three early in his coaching career and he quickly settled upon a preferred 3-4-2-1 shape. At Sporting the system could flex into a 3-4-3 with two wide forwards rather than typical No 10s, and occasionally he played with a 3-5-2, but Amorim rarely deviated from his three-at-the-back foundation.

When Sporting built from deep, two adventurous wing-backs hugged the touchlines to stretch the pitch, leaving space for confident centre-backs to either carry the ball upfield or play passes into midfield. Lisandro Martinez would slot into the left side of a three-man defence while Matthijs De Ligt would likely be the central pin.

For the wing-back roles, Amorim has good options on the right side in his fellow Portuguese Diogo Dalot and summer signing Noussair Mazraoui, who have both made bright starts to the season. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia would be natural at left wing-back but both players have struggled to stay fit and this might be an area of the pitch where Amorim needs a January reinforcement. He could instead turn to youth, with 17-year-old left-back Harry Amass considered one of United’s best prospects.

Ruud van Nistelrooy said he was sad to see Erik ten Hag fired by Manchester United on Monday, but the club’s former striker is honoured to step in as interim manager for as long as required.

The 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy joined Ten Hag’s staff as an assistant in July. He was appointed interim manager, and he will take charge for Wednesday’s League Cup match against Leicester City at Old Trafford.

“Erik ten Hag brought me back to Manchester United in the summer and, while I have only been part of the coaching staff here for a few months, I will always be grateful to him for giving me the opportunity, and I am saddened to see him leave,” the former Netherlands international said on the team’s website.

“When I returned in the summer as Erik’s assistant, it was because I believe that Manchester United can climb back to the levels that I knew here as a player. I still have that belief, but it will take time and a lot of hard work.

“Even on an interim basis, it is a great honour to manage the club I love for however long I am asked to do so. I can promise that I will continue to give my all, in whatever capacity, to try to turn around our fortunes.”

What we know so far as Manchester United try to prise Ruben Amorim from Sporting:

Talks between the two clubs are ongoing and The Independent understands that Sporting are demanding €5m to release the key coaching staff that Ruben Amorim would like to take with him to Old Trafford.

The club are also thought to be asking Manchester United to pay more that the initial €10m compensation for breaking Amorim out of his contract immediately.

“We haven’t got to that part. The club talks to another club, is talking to another club, and then you take the next step with the coach.

“And whether I want to go or not, I’ll say later. That’s the decision we’re talking about here. I won’t say.”

“Without a doubt, without a doubt,” Amorim admits when asked if his players would be mad with him for leaving. “But I don’t interfere in the players’ lives. Now I talk to the players, because I’m Sporting coach. I want to do well for the group.

“I talked to the board about how we are going to manage the squad. But without a doubt my players will be, if I leave, they will be disappointed in me and sad with me. But it’s part of life.

“That happened with me already in Braga. When I came from Braga, from Braga’s stability to here, that happened a little.

“And they were a little disappointed, because they really believed that we were building something special. But then things happen that change people’s lives. And so, it’s a difficult situation.

“I can’t give you more than that. I understand that the players are even disappointed, sad. But I have to live with it. And the important thing is that we reach the end and know how to explain everything.

“Whether people understand it or not, the important thing is to come forward and explain it. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

Amorim took charge of Sporting CP in March 2020, as a 35-year-old coach with only two months’ experience managing in the Portuguese top flight. He inherited a giant club without a league title in 18 years, in disarray on and off the field after the exits of key players Raphinha, Bas Dost and Bruno Fernandes – ironically now set to be his captain at Old Trafford.

Amorim quickly set about imprinting his own football identity. In his first full season in charge, his young side set a league record 32-game unbeaten run on their way to winning the Primeira Liga, ending the long duopoly of Porto and Benfica. Sporting lost only one league game all season, against Benfica, after already securing the title.

Former Liverpool and Portugal defender Abel Xavier took his coaching badges alongside Ruben Amorim and was impressed with the Sporting coach.

“He is very humble, discreet, and has a very clear mindset,” Xavier told BBC World Service.

“At Braga we saw an immediate impact because, with the same squad, with the same players, he transformed the team.

“He put in place his ideas, he changed the dynamic, he created empathy, and of course a big club like Sporting Lisbon paid to have him.”

“It’s been a mess, that’s exactly what it is at Manchester United, a really poor start to the season,” says Kris Boyd tells Sky Sports.

“You’d expect Amorim to come in and freshen it up. It’s far too slow, I don’t see that with his Sporting, they’re quick and ask questions of teams defensively.

“In terms of bringing players in? You might have to get players out first. He’s a young coach, you’ve got to give him time.

“They’ll spend a lot of money to bring him here. It’s an exciting appointment for Manchester United, everything else has changed. They’ve got this now, they’ve spent a lot of money. They’ll find a way to support Amorim and I’m sure he’ll be a success.”