Ruben Amorim has linked his admission of mistakes at Manchester United to a decision he made at AC Milan, saying he gave his players "more freedom" against Lecce after deciding not to repeat the same focus on one system that he had at Old Trafford.

Milan won 3-0, with Amorim switching from a back three to a back four and handing Christian Pulisic his first start of the season. Pulisic scored his first club goal of 2026 before Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira added further goals in the second half.

Speaking after the match, Amorim explained why he made the change. "It's always my decision," he told DAZN Italia.

"What I felt in the last games is the same that I felt at Manchester United, and I cannot make the same mistake."

Why Ruben Amorim Changed AC Milan's Approach Against Lecce

The result came after Milan had drawn with Juventus and Lazio before losing 2-0 at home to Benfica in the Europa League.

Amorim had also faced criticism in the Italian media over his tactics and was involved in a public exchange with a journalist about his team selection in the days before the Lecce match.

Amorim explained how he considers his players' characteristics when making tactical decisions.

"It's an observation of the games and the characteristics," he said.

"Of course, I listen to the players, but a manager, especially in a big team, is always listening to the players, seeing and understanding them. But every player wants to push the game towards their characteristics, and if you want to have an identity, that is hard."

What Ruben Amorim Learned From His Manchester United Spell

This is not the first time Amorim has connected his current approach to his time at Manchester United. At his first press conference after joining Milan in the summer, he was asked about what he had learned from his time in England.

"It's hard to explain the mistakes because for that I would have to explain all the context of the last adventure," he told reporters, per Goal.com.

"It's hard to say to you every mistake. Everyone learns from their experience. I learned a lot. I did some mistakes.

"There are some things I will try to change, and there are some things you never change. But I think I will be a better coach."

He also discussed his mistakes in an interview with Sky Italia, during Milan's pre-season tour of Australia.

"I learned a lot," he said.

"It would be hard to point to one thing, but the important thing that I clearly know is that I made a lot of mistakes.

He added: "When you do this kind of reflection, and you understand that it was not just their fault, but also my fault, I think you can be a better coach and a better man."

United sacked Amorim in January, around 14 months into his tenure. He left after a turbulent period at United that culminated in a press conference following a 1-1 draw with Leeds United in which he criticised aspects of the club's hierarchy.

The Independent reported that Amorim's Premier League win rate was just over 38%, which the newspaper compared with some of the lowest points in United's history.

What Comes Next for Amorim at Milan

Italian pundit Paolo Di Canio also criticised Amorim before the Lecce match. Di Canio said Amorim was repeating some of the same mistakes he made at United and pointed to Rafael Leao's omission as an example of what he viewed as Amorim sticking to his ideas rather than adapting to his players.

Amorim will now have to decide whether to continue with the adjustments used against Lecce or return to a three-man build-up in future matches.