IT IS MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

RUBEN AMORIM'S bid to make Manchester United play his way is facing an added complication because the club’s academy teams continue to use a tactical blueprint that doesn’t fit his philosophy.

- By Simon Mullock

Amorim accepts that United are unable to spend their way back to the top after missing out on a £100million Champions League jackpot with a humiliating defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League Final.

And the Red Devils boss is ready to keep up the Old Trafford tradition of bringing through youngsters from United’s hugely productive youth set-up during his rebuild after implementing a similar plan at Sporting Lisbon.

But United’s academy teams are conditioned to play a 4-3-3 system that the Portuguese has no faith in.

And he feels the task of bedding young players into his senior squad is even tougher because of how they have spent their formative years.

Old Trafford academy chiefs insist they continue to produce footballers with a skill-set to adapt to any tactical request - and Amorim has given first-team debuts this season to youngsters Harry Amass and Tyler Fredricson.

He also included the likes of Dan Armer, Jaydan Kamason, Godwill Kukonki, Tyler Fletcher, Sekou Kone, Shea Lacey, Jack Moorhouse and Jim Thwaites in his squad for last week’s post-season tour of the Far East.