Erik ten Hag’s start to life in the managerial dugout at Manchester United has been nothing short of disastrous. The 2-1 loss to Brighton was shocking, but the capitulation at Brentford was nothing short of a disgrace and saw United annihilated in just 36 minutes.
Next up is Liverpool at Old Trafford and although Jurgen Klopp’s side are also yet to win so far this term, the Red Devils will need to drastically improve to get a result. A home win would take them above the Reds, but if they persist with Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez in a back four, they could be in trouble.
If United are to see any form of success in the short-term, Ten Hag must deploy three centre-backs in a back five. Martinez’s height, or lack of it, has caused United real issues in their opening two games and he has been brutally targeted by the opposition. Now, Darwin Nunez will miss this tie with United and Liverpool have a lack of forward options, but a back three would give the Argentine more protection and more time on the ball to progress up the pitch.
READ MORE:
- Ranking every Manchester United signing since 2013
-
James Garner and the battle for the heart of Manchester United
It would also get the best out of Maguire. He has shone in big moments for England in a back three and it means he can win everything aerially, while his lack of pace is covered by the two other centre-backs. Martinez is excellent on the ball and this back three would also get Raphael Varane, a player of incredible quality, back into the team.
The Frenchman has won everything in the sport and was a major coup for United when he joined last summer. Even at United, you don’t lose that level of ability so getting him back in the team, alongside Maguire and Martinez, should provide a much more solid backbone for this side.
Playing a back three would also help with the David de Gea issue. The Spaniard cannot play out from the back in the way Ten Hag wants him to, but given Dean Henderson has been sent out on loan, the manager doesn’t have any other option. From goal kicks, a back three should give De Gea an extra and simpler pass to make, while Martinez given his ability on the ball, should be the first choice for a pass.
Tyrell Malacia could freshen things up at left wing-back while Diogo Dalot will have to continue but a more advanced role could get the best out of him. Central midfield has been United’s issue for several years, so playing three centre-backs should help negate that issue. Clearly new signings are needed but from the current crop, Scott McTominay partnering Christian Eriksen is the best duo.
For all the criticism and limitations in the Scot’s game, he adds a level of physicality and energy to United’s midfield and helps them out from set pieces. As we saw at Brentford, that is a crucial part of the game and the Red Devils were much improved in the second half.
In front of that seven, United’s options are far from ideal, but they can hurt teams with clever movement. It’s time to move on from the Cristiano Ronaldo saga, which clearly has been a failed experiment and get the best out of Bruno Fernandes again. He can be deployed in a free number ten role, behind two forwards in the returning Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, both of whom can cause issues from wide or central areas.
With the wing-backs able to provide the width and the back three stretched across the pitch, this system makes perfect sense for the components United currently possess. Another option is that Martinez moves into the defensive midfield role and the back four remains, with Varane replacing him at the heart of the defence - but a false nine didn’t work against Brighton, and United need some presence up front.
Liverpool seems like a tough fixture on paper, but with no expectations it could be the game where everything changes. Ten Hag can’t stick with Maguire and Martinez in a back four, it would show stubbornness, rather than belief. But up against an injury hit side, United could do the unthinkable.
