Ruben Amorim is already doing what Jose Mourinho did at Manchester United

Humility is one of Ruben Amorim's myriad of qualities. "If you see the last game yesterday, was really tough," he said of Manchester United's victory over Everton. "Was 4-0 but you see the game like I see it..."

The truncated highlights on Match of the Day 2 did not do Everton justice. Amorim has not looked as animated or agitated in the United technical area as he did in the first 30 minutes..

Matthijs de Ligt's risk-aversion on the ball caused Amorim to outstretch his arms. He had to clap his hands to alert Casemiro to show more alacrity off the ball. Joshua Zirkzee was out of position to press and Amorim cut loose when Everton carried the ball into the United half unchallenged. Amad's fluffed shot did not improve his mood.

Twenty-four minutes in, Amorim turned to the bench and pointed at Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho. Soon, both were pulling on their bibs, scuttling down the dugout steps and warming up.

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Usually, the United substitutes warm up in groups of four in the first half. Amorim's reactive measure was a promise to the starters that two of them would not re-emerge for the second half if things continued. Ten minutes later, United scored.

Jarrad Branthwaite's brainstorm ensured Mount and Garnacho kept their tracksuit tops on at the interval. Zirkzee was in the right place at the right time for his two goals, Amad was man of the match, De Ligt helped keep a sixth clean sheet in the league and Casemiro was gratefully serenaded by the United faithful.

There are obvious similarities and differences between Amorim and Jose Mourinho. The reactive swivel and command to specific substitutes was something Mourinho had a tendency to do.

In October 2016, United went 1-0 down at Chelsea after only 30 seconds. They were thumped 4-0. With Daley Blind blowing amid the first-half maelstrom, Mourinho turned to the bench and ordered Matteo Darmian to warm up. The following week, Darmian started the first of 12 games during a 20-match run and became an unlikely stop-gap solution at left back.

Erik ten Hag was not averse to early changes. There were 10 at half-time in United's first 15 matches last season. Louis van Gaal was even earlier, hooking the plodding Paddy McNair after 39 minutes at Southampton 10 years ago. Mourinho beat that by 20 minutes with the 19th-minute withdrawal of Eric Bailly against Newcastle in October 2018. United were already 2-0 down.

Some of the post-Ferguson United managers have lost their fear factor or never had it. David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fell into the latter category. Moyes never lost the dressing room as he didn't win it over. Solskjaer was viewed as a soft touch.

Ten Hag, often ruthless, was privately accused by some players of having favourites though even Antony's privileges were revoked last season. In the FA Cup semi-final with Coventry City, he was railroaded into sending on Amad amid the farcical collapse.

Ten Hag always lacked gravitas. Most United players were of the opinion a change of manager was required long before the axe finally swung. Amorim's warmth has provided United with an upgrade in man-management but he is also intense and demanding.

He chuckled for longer than anyone normally would at the quip "long time, no see" on Monday as he attended a second press conference in the same room at Old Trafford in as many days. Amorim's infectious smile is not to be mistaken for a pushover.

Six changes in successive games, part rotation and part trial and error, are keeping United players on their toes. Amorim could stray close to that number again at Arsenal on Wednesday night with Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo two enforced changes through suspension.

The smiling assassin persona is a good fit for the United manager. Yesteryear, players suspected they would be dropped if Sir Alex Ferguson was overbearingly pleasant to them in the build-up to games.

Amorim has to strike while he is hot and his contingency plan at the weekend was reactive and proactive. United were not pressing proficiently in the opening half-an-hour on Sunday and Amorim has highlighted Mount's work rate a couple of times already. Garnacho is a proven game-changer off the bench.

The win was tougher than the scoreline suggested.