Rio Ferdinand details 'slight changes' in Ruben Amorim's tactics at Manchester United that have helped to get 'better performances' from duo

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes the subtle changes made by manager Ruben Amorim to his tactics have helped two key players become more effective on the pitch. The Englishman claimed that the players were now picking their moments instead of pressing high constantly.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said that Amroim is now getting his players back into position, rather than pressing high every time. He believes that the change has seen Casemiro and Matthijs de Ligt perform better, saying:

"We've seen a slight shift within the details of his system...his ability to fall back out of the press at times and wait for the good moments to press. Its not like every time we turn the ball over, 'we got to press, we got to press', that was naive and was our undoing a lot of the times.

"We were easy to play against in transition... We seem to have calmed that down and we're getting better performances from players like Casemiro and De Ligt because of that."

Casemiro has been a key player this season, but he remains in the final months of his contract. He has not signed a new deal yet, and Amortim has not confirmed whether the club will offer him a contract. He said (via MEN):

"Yeah, we don't know what is going to happen. My goal is to continue to count with Casemiro, with Harry Maguire, that he has the same problem. I don't know what is going to happen. Let's focus on this season. I'm really happy with Casemiro, he is really important. I'm really happy with Harry, but I know what you guys are asking, let's focus on this season and then we'll see the next season."

Manchester United are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches, winning three and drawing twice. They have moved to seventh in the table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal and one point behind fourth-placed Sunderland.

Fabrizio Romano provides update on Manchester United star's contract status

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano spoke about Casemiro's contract situation, reporting that no offer has yet been made to the Brazilian. Manchester United are interested in renewing the deal, but the midfielder will have to reduce his wages. He said on his YouTube channel:

“Casemiro is working hard and becoming once again in his career a crucial player for the manager. He is really important for Ruben Amorim, but there will be a conversation about his contract because the numbers, especially his salary, are way too high for Manchester United to extend as things stand.”

Casemiro joined Manchester United in 2022 for a reported £70 million fee from Real Madrid. He has played 135 matches for the Red Devils, winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup once.