Several Manchester United players are reaping the benefits of a change in head coach. Erik ten Hag's dismissal in October was a long time coming, with the FA Cup victory over Manchester City in May providing the Dutchman with a temporary reprieve. Now, it's up to Ruben Amorim to restore United to their former glory.

The Portuguese manager has made a solid start at Old Trafford, overseeing home wins against Bodø/Glimt and Everton, along with a commendable draw at Ipswich in his first match. Marcus Rashford is back among the goals, while Joshua Zirkzee scored twice against Everton on Sunday, marking his first goals since the opening-day win against Fulham.

However, the standout success story is Amad Diallo. Underused by Ten Hag and starting only two of Ruud van Nistelrooy's four-game interim reign, Diallo has featured in both league games since Amorim's arrival and played the final 30 minutes of the Europa League win, indicating he is firmly part of Amorim's plans.

Many anticipated Amorim would implement the three-man backline he utilized at Sporting, which has indeed come to pass. Similarly, he often flanked them with Geovany Quenda and Maximiliano Araújo, wingers converted to wing-backs, a tactic he has also employed at Manchester United.

Though many thought he might be used as one of the two supporting attackers, Amad found a home at right wing-back under Amorim. He has excelled in the role, assisting three of the five league goals United has scored under their new manager. While it's a small sample size, supporters should be optimistic about the 22-year-old maintaining his form. Diallo has now registered more assists than any other player in the Premier League since the start of November (four), and has more assists than players like Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Luis Díaz, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden (five).

By using Diallo at right wing-back, Amorim is allowing the youngster to drive at opponents with the ball at his feet. While he had this opportunity on the wing under Ten Hag, doing so from a deeper position means there is more space for him to run into, quickly setting United on the front foot. This is a key aspect of Amorim's attacking strategy, with wing-backs required to provide width in the system.

This was evident in United's win over Everton. While most of their attacks came down the left (44%), Diallo was often higher up the pitch than starting left wing-back Diogo Dalot. He made more key passes (three) and completed more dribbles (four) than any other player, proving to be a highly effective attacking outlet. Additionally, his four tackles were the most by any player, illustrating why Amorim was so pleased with him following the victory.

The first real test for Amorim and his system comes midweek when United travel to Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's side has regained their swagger following Martin Ødegaard's return from injury, ending November with three consecutive wins and scoring 13 goals in the process. Arsenal will be confident of maintaining their impressive form, but they must guard against complacency. Diallo, if he starts, will have ample space to exploit, with only 32% of Arsenal's attacks coming down the left, the lowest in the top tier.

Arteta also has concerns at left-back after Riccardo Calafiori was forced off in the 5-2 win at West Ham, while stand-in Oleksandr Zinchenko doesn't offer the same defensive solidity. Either player will struggle to contain Diallo given his rapid adaptation to Amorim's wing-back demands.

Grossly undervalued by Ten Hag, Diallo has quickly established himself as a key player. If the three-man defense is to succeed at Old Trafford, early indications suggest that the Ivorian has a significant role to play.

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