How Man Utd solving No10 crisis will give them a Plan B when their counter-attacking football fails – The Sun

FINDING a No 10 to unlock defences and getting more from their full-backs could be the difference between Manchester United making the top four or not.

We have seen how devastating they can be when allowed to play on the counter.

But they had 67 per cent possession against Everton and once again struggled to break down a defence who sat deep and narrow.

When you have more of the ball playing a 4-2-3-1, that No 10 position is key. The likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Dan James will constantly stretch the game with their pace.

In turn, there will be no space in behind the defence — instead it will be in between the defence and midfield.

Therefore you need that player who can pick up those positions and thread passes through.

Jesse Lingard played there against Everton yesterday and his form has picked up of late. But is his game suited to become the long-term solution there?

Paul Pogba could also play there if needed, when he is back fit.

But, for me, he has been at his best when able to drift into that position from a deeper midfield role.

No flying full-backs

Another issue that I saw at Old Trafford yesterday was how United need to get more from their full-backs going forward.

When teams get deeper, they naturally get narrower too.

All of a sudden the room to take advantage of is out wide, and your full-backs become crucial.
Yesterday, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka did not play high enough.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent £45million on Wan-Bissaka in the summer, and the former Crystal Palace right-back has been excellent generally.

From a defensive point of view he has been great, and there are few, if any, defenders who can match him one on one.

He can now work on his attacking game, and it’s definitely better this way than him being hopeless at the back and decent going forward.

But United have to start getting more from the wide areas — including from Shaw on the left — especially if the likes of Rashford and French star Martial naturally drift in.

And full-backs become even more important if, like United, you don’t have that No 10.

If you do, they can be the creator.

But if you don’t, full-backs are even more crucial.

United are the lowest scorers in the top six by five goals — but if they can bring in a ball-playing No 10 and get more out of their full-backs then the top four is well within reach.

Twitter @Higginbotham05

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