Thread by @manojnaraj, How can #mufc beat Sheffield United? (Tactical Analysis)A THREADWITH GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION [...]

How can #mufc beat Sheffield United? (Tactical Analysis)

A THREAD

WITH GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION

Mid-week fixture between #mufc & Sheffield United is a game that can define #mufc 's season and the top 4 race. This is a must win game so let's see how can Ole Gunnar Solksjær set up the team.

ManUtd should line-up in a 4-2-3-1 with same back 4 but Bailly playing instead of Lindelöf because of his injury & thre is another tactical reason which we will discuss later on, double pivot of Pogba & Matic/McTominay & Rashford Bruno & Greenwood behind Anthony Martial.

Sheffield United lined up in a 3-5-2 in their last fixture with Henderson in goal, Robinson Egan & Basham in the back, Stevens & Baldock as wingbacks , midfield of Fleck Norwood Berge and Sharp and McBruine up top.

Egan who played 29 out of 30 games for Sheffield this season is suspended & Jagielka is injured so it's likely Jack Rodwell will play instead of Egan & Henderson ineligible to play in this match so he will be replaced by Moore in goal & rest of the team is likely to be the same.

#mufc should approach this game to play in the front foot with possession. Sheffield sit in 4-1-3-2 shape when without possession with 1 wing back becoming a fullback in back in a back 4 & other remaining as a wing back.

#mufc can set up in a 3-2-1-4 shape and make Shaw join the attack to make Baldock occupied & prevent Rashford getting doubled-up. Shaw also provides bit of attacking threat as he did against Spurs creating few chances including the big one for Anthony Martial.

Rashford and Greenwood should hold the width to strech up the defence& create space in between Full back& CB which they can exploit with dribbling, or a pass can be played into the space by midfilders which the wingers can finish or lay a pass back to Martial to score.

Bruno will occupy the space between defence & attack as a classic no.10 Pogba should dictate & carry the ball from deep as well has being in the the no.10 area sometimes as he did against Spurs to create chances and shoot. This will allow 6 players to be attacking.

#mufc have good shooters from outside the box like Greenwood, Bruno & Pogba which will make Sheffield get a bit higher when sitting back which creates space in behind to attack. If they don't do so then they will be punished by long range shots which can reasult in goals.

6 players attacking would not be a problem as #mufc backline will easily outnumber Sheffield attack because of Sheffield focus in defence playing 5 at the back. Sheffield United counter attack by playing ball to wide areas as the two man strike force split up.

To prevent threat #mufc should form a back 3 while attacking with Bailly as LCB Maguire in the centre & WanBissaka as RCB. Both WanBissaka & Bailly are rapid quick & are effective tacklers which will help to prevent threat from the split strikers of Sheffield who go wide.

Maguire will be the ball player & airel winner of the back 3 who will provide additional cover it Bailly or WanBissaka get past which is highly unlikely.

Matic/McTominay can shield the back line & prevent threat from the centre & help arielly & are hard to dribble past which Fred can't do. Fred gets dribbled past 3 times per game compared to McTominay's 0.7. It should be tight & compact from the centre when playing a high line.

The game is there to be won for #mufc.

Thank you very much for giving time and reading. RT