MANCHESTER UNITED are gearing up for a massive tactical showdown as they visit one of the most in-form teams in the world this Sunday.
Ruben Amorim’s men face an Aston Villa side that have won nine on the spin and 15 out of their last 17 games.
With United scoring goals again and Villa banging it in from all areas, it feels like this one could be a belter.
But the key to victory might lie in a clever tactical tweak we saw on Monday night.
WILL MAN UTD PLAY FOUR AT THE BACK AGAIN?
United showed a really, really adaptable side during the chaotic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
When I was researching and watching back again, even more interestingly, they were flicking between the two formations as they went.
BABY, IT’S COLE OUTSIDE
Cole Palmer goes incognito with model at Winter Wonderland
Clubsport
Win a VWGolf GTI plus £2k or £30,000 cash from just 20p with our code
If they can do that and switch between the two and have two formations in one, then they’ve really got something on their hands – a back three and a back four.
This hybrid system saw Luke Shaw play much more like a centre-back while Diogo Dalot joined the attack in a 3-2-5.
Essentially, it was three at the back attacking and four at the back defending, which means they’re overloading in both directions.
If they can change in-game like this, they’ve got a plan A and a plan B, which is a really positive sign.
A formation is just a framework for the team to work within, as Thomas Tuchel often says.
SHOULD KOBBIE MAINOO START?
Kobbie Mainoo has found himself out of favour under Amorim, and it is distances that’s been the problem.
The manager hasn’t so far wanted or favoured Mainoo in travelling and covering those large distances in midfield required by the rigid 3-4-3.
However, the “dual formation” observed against Bournemouth limits the ground the midfielders need to cover.
By shifting to a 4-4-2 shape defensively, United can protect their midfield while unleashing Mainoo’s best attributes.
You’ve got a Mainoo in there who is capable of drifting past players in midfield and firing passes into the attackers’ feet.
There was a different dynamic to their attack with Mainoo on that Casemiro doesn’t bring.
My answer is clear: I think he should start.
HOW CAN MAN UTD STOP MORGAN ROGERS?
Stopping Villa means stopping their midfield engine, specifically the dangerous Morgan Rogers.
Villa have got three extremely press-resistant players in Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Rogers.
They are as good as anybody anywhere around at receiving the ball under pressure and then either turning the player or then playing off and getting the ball back.
That’s a real danger for Man Utd in that 3-4-3 set-up.
The trap for United is to avoid pressing high and leaving gaps. Do not force yourselves on to them. Do not go at them – Arsenal did it really well with their front three at Villa Park.
Instead, United’s centre-backs must be brave and jump out to engage Rogers before he can turn and run at the defence.
It might require a bold man-marking job where Leny Yoro just does a man-marking job on him.
If you give Rogers this space on the edge of the box, he’s going to smack it in the top corner.