How Manchester United Fixed its Midfield Problem
This time last year Manchester United had a serious issue in midfield. Circumstances meant that the Red Devils were stuck with midfield options such as Andreas Pereira or Jesse Lingard, alongside Fred and Scott McTominay. The nadir was against Sheffield United last November, where injuries forced a midfield two of Pereira and Fred.
Now, United simply have too many midfield options. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has every manager’s favourite headache. Since that 3–3 draw at Bramall Lane, in has come Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon. His signing was transformative for the side. Paul Pogba has returned from injury and Nemanja Matic has found form that seemed to have disappeared with age 12 months ago.
During Project Restart, United played the same midfield three of Fernandes in front of Pogba and Matic for all but two of their league games. United’s form saw them drop only six points from nine matches as they shot up the table to finish the season in third.
The first league game of the current season saw United continue with the 4231 shape. McTominay (against Crystal Palace) and Matic (against Brighton) shared the role of playing alongside Pogba and behind Fernandes, but the performances were far under the expectation of the Project Restart form.
Much like during the post-lock-down period of games, Matic was chosen over McTominay for the match against Tottenham.
Following the disastrous result, losing 6–1 at home to Jose Mourinho’s side, Solskjaer switched up his midfield configuration. Pogba and Matic were dropped for the next two games, against Newcastle and PSG. In their place arrived Fred and McTominay.
The two formed a moderately successful partnership last season during United’s midfield struggles, and with Fernandes now the creative force in front of them, instead of Pereira, and this has seen an uptick in form and performances since this change was made. A 4–1 win away at Newcastle was followed by an immense 2–1 away win at PSG last Tuesday.
In all this, Donny van de Beek has played a total of 63 Premier League minutes from four appearances. For £34.7 million, he has played an average of just over 15 minutes a game.
When the Dutchman was signed over the Summer transfer window, questions were asked about how he fit into this United side. So far, Solskjaer has done very little to dissuade people from still asking these questions.
Speaking ahead of his side’s upcoming match this weekend at home to Chelsea, Solskjaer spoke of van de Beek’s desire to get into the United starting XI.
“Donny is fit but it’s competition for places, giving him time to settle in, adjust to his teammates, a new league. He is an absolutely top footballer, personality, so humble and hard working but also of course eager to play more. You will see him,” said the Man United manager.
When Anthony Martial’s own goal gave PSG the equaliser they were pushing for, the Norwegian turned to his bench to wrestle back control in the game. But it was Pogba, not van de Beek, that Solskjaer looked to in order to turn the game around.
Despite a string of poor performances to start the season, the Frenchman was relied upon in the big moment to step up. Credit to Solskjaer, the change worked.
Alex Telles came off and United switched from a 532/352 formation to a 4222/442 (diamond) formation. Pogba ultimately got the assist as Marcus Rashford scored the winner to seal a massive three points for both the club and the manager’s season.
For van de Beek, his role was to come on immediately following the goal to shore up the game and secure the three points.
Seeing the former Ajax midfielder come on for Fernandes after the game was won, and at the same time as Daniel James came on, highlighted just how limited a role he has had so far this season.
But it is too early to judge Solskjaer harshly for his current squad management.
The aftermath of the Spurs result was bleak, the worst result of his tenure, but to his credit the reaction from his squad has been superb. In this chaotic Premier League season it is far too early to praise the Man United manager too effusively, even his own form has proven erratic throughout his time in charge, but the signs are now there of a turnaround.
If he can continue to get big results, the questions over van de Beek will go quiet. The midfielder does bring Champions League experience to the squad, but this is not the first instance of a Premier League manager taking his time to integrate a new player into the league.
Jurgen Klopp eased Fabinho into his Liverpool side. The Brazilian similarly had played in a side that stunned European football with a thrilling Champions League semi final run.
Fabinho also waited a year at that club, Monaco in his case, before making the big money move that many of his teammates had made immediately following the breakout season.
Fabinho didn’t make his Premier League debut until Liverpool’s ninth game that season, coming on with 21 minutes left to play. His first start followed in their tenth league game, but his only starts up to that point had come in the League Cup.
Solskjaer is following a very similar pattern now with van de Beek. Fabinho has eventually become an integral cog in this Liverpool side, and he will now step in for the injured Van Dijk thus proving how much faith Klopp has in the midfielder.
Patience will be required for van de Beek, but as long as the results keep coming in for Solskjaer then he should be in no rush to integrate van de Beek. While there has been plenty to criticise about United, both on and off the pitch, credit is due for how the club and management has turned around their dire midfield situation 12 months on from Bramall Lane.
