Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim should stick with system against Liverpool but Curtis Jones shows what they lack - The Radar

Welcome to The Radar, a Insportly column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:

🔴 Stick or twist for Amorim's system?🔴 The value of Martinez's long passing🔴 Ugarte needed against Gravenberch?🔴 Jones shows what Man Utd lack

Manchester United's dismal form has led to calls for Ruben Amorim to change his system. With 11 goals conceded in the last four games, and plenty of evidence of his players looking uncomfortable playing three at the back, it is easy to understand why.

But abandoning his preferred formation should be a last resort. "He is obviously committed to it," said Insportly pundit Gary Neville after Monday's defeat to Newcastle. "If he moves away from that, what's the point of him being there?" added Jamie Carragher.

Before that game, Carragher had expertly outlined the struggles of natural full-backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui in the wing-back positions. "They don't think like attacking players," he said. But that might not be a bad thing against Mohamed Salah and the rest.

The pair started as wing-backs against Manchester City last month, after all, their presence helping to nullify Pep Guardiola's side on the flanks as Manchester United claimed a 2-1 victory which offers a glimmer of hope ahead of Sunday's trip to Anfield.

Of course, facing this rampant Liverpool side is a far tougher prospect than facing a badly out-of-sorts Manchester City. But the result at the Etihad Stadium showed the potential for Amorim's system to bring success in a daunting away game.

With the back three becoming a back five out of possession, and with Harry Maguire in his element defending his own box, Amorim's side were able to limit Manchester City to their lowest totals for shots (10) and expected goals (0.95) in a home game all season.

They will need to show even greater resilience at Anfield, a quality they have lacked in the intervening games. But sticking to the system Amorim knows and using wide centre-backs and wing-backs to double up on Salah and Cody Gakpo on the flanks could be Manchester United's best hope of keeping Liverpool at bay.

Lisandro Martinez endured a torrid evening against Newcastle, with Alexander Isak and Joelinton easily beating him in the air to score the decisive goals before he was withdrawn in the second half.

It was not the first time lately he has struggled defensively. "He has been caught out more in a back three than he was a four," said Carragher. "I actually thought it would be the perfect system for him, with the security of two bigger players, but he looks worse."

His poor form, as he adapts to a new role, has rightly put his starting spot under scrutiny. Drastic improvement is required in his off-the-ball work. On it, though, he remains crucial. Martinez is by far the best passer among Manchester United's defensive options. His forward-thinking distribution will be needed at Anfield.

In his new position on the left of their back three, his long passes over the top of opposition defences have been one of few persistent sources of danger for Amorim's side.

He set up Amad Diallo's late winner at the Etihad Stadium with one such pass and there was another example in the defeat to Newcastle, when he put Rasmus Hojlund through on goal for an opportunity the striker sent just wide of the post in the first half.

Liverpool will doubtless try to ensure he is not given as much time to pick his passes. But their high defensive line should present opportunities, as it did for Arsenal's Ben White when he set up Bukayo Saka's opener against Liverpool with the same type of pass at the Emirates Stadium back in October.

Manchester United will need their midfielders to play their part as well as their defenders. A repeat of Monday's game at Old Trafford, when Casemiro and Christian Eriksen were totally overrun by Newcastle, hardly bears thinking about for their supporters.

Far greater energy and intensity will be needed against Liverpool, so the return of Manuel Ugarte from suspension, together with that of Bruno Fernandes, following his red card against Wolves, is timely.

The pair make considerably more sprints and pressures than United's other available midfielders. Ugarte ranks top in terms of both tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

They are qualities which proved vital against Manchester City and the same will be true against Liverpool, with Slot's side, like Eddie Howe's, capable of physically dominating the centre of the pitch, led by Ryan Gravenberch, who has excelled as their No 6 this season.

Ugarte cannot claim to have had the same impact since his arrival at Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain in August. But he has certainly been one of Amorim's better performers in recent games, suggesting he is adapting to the demands of the Premier League.

There are still question marks over his distribution. He has only directed 21 per cent of his passes forward this season, underlining his conservatism on the ball. In the cauldron of Anfield, though, a bit of control, together with his defensive nous, might be useful.

Ugarte offers intensity off the ball; Fernandes provides quality on it. Liverpool, though, have midfielders who do both, one of them being Curtis Jones, who followed up his goal in their Boxing Day win over Leicester with an assist in their 5-0 thrashing of West Ham.

Arne Slot says becoming a father is the reason behind his excellent start to the season but coaching has been another factor. The Liverpool boss has asked Jones to streamline his game.

"In my opinion, he touched the ball a bit too much," Slot said of Jones last month. "Now he plays more simple and it results in him being much more effective in what he does."

The numbers certainly back that up. With three goals and two assists in the Premier League already, Jones is enjoying by far the most productive season of his career so far, producing goal involvements at a rate of 0.55 per 90 minutes, up from only 0.15 per 90 minutes last term.

The latest of those goal involvements, his assist for the third against West Ham, exemplified this newfound effectiveness as he received the ball and turned in one motion before quickly feeding Salah. His frustrating tendency to overplay is no more.

It is also worth noting that all three of his goals this season, against Chelsea, Newcastle and Leicester, have come from one or two-touch finishes. He is averaging fewer touches than in any of the previous four seasons but he is doing more with them.

This focus on efficiency can be seen in his passing too. Jones has completed at least 90 per cent of his passes every season at Liverpool but his current rate of 95.2 per cent is his highest yet, putting him top of a list dominated by centre-backs.

Unlike those players, who typically have time and space to pick their passes, Jones is operating in the thick of the action, where his technical class continues to shine. He boasts the best accuracy rate for passes under pressure this season as well as passes generally. Slot has also talked up the importance of his work-rate.

"He can play one or two touch now, and he's also able to dribble with the ball and create an extra man in the midfield for us," added the Liverpool boss. "That is what makes him an all-round midfielder." It is a profile of player Liverpool's opponents on Sunday still lack.

Arsenal go to Brighton for the Saturday Night Football fixture, with coverage starting on Insportly Premier League and Main Event from 5pm ahead of the 5.30pm kick-off.

Super Sunday sees Fulham and Ipswich go head to head in the early game, kicking off at 2pm, with Liverpool and Manchester United facing off in the big one at 4.30pm. Coverage of that double-header begins on Insportly Premier League and Main Event at 1pm.

On Monday Night Football, join David Jones and Jamie Carragher as Vitor Pereira's Wolves come up against Nottingham Forest, kicking off at 8pm.

Diogo Jota's value to Liverpool, Marco Silva's adaptability at Fulham, and Arsenal's evolution through the lens of Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko were the topics of the last column.