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Four formations, a first line on fire, plus the dilemma of Pogba and Fernandes … Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has many tactical options for Manchester United in the clash against Arsenal
- Manchester United take on Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday night
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been mixing things up with four formations this quarter
- Paul Pogba has been rejected since Tottenham’s 6-1 hammering
- Mikel Arteta faces a difficult task to guess how United will line up to face his team
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is happy to have several tactical options at his disposal ahead of Sunday’s game at Arsenal, thanks to his flexible friends at Old Trafford.
The Manchester United manager has used four different formations so far this season.
He is best known for playing 4-3-3 at United, but Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood were a strike partner in Wednesday’s 5-0 win over RB Leipzig, with Marcus Rashford replacing Greenwood and hitting a hat- trick.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has his pick of tactical options for Manchester United against Arsenal
Marcus Rashford and his attacking partners can play in several different combinations
The compatibility of Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes is the subject of a heated debate around United
Paul Pogba has been out of both of United’s Premier League games since the embarrassing 6-1 home loss to Spurs, with Bruno Fernandes leading in the pecking order.
Solskjaer insists that both men can play the same lineup, but only when it suits the balance of the team. It all leaves Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta with a headache trying to guess United’s starting eleven, let alone their formation, even with Martial suspended.
At Newcastle, United won 4-1 with Rashford up 4-2-3-1.
Against PSG, Axel Tuanzebe was drafted to make three behind and United won 2-1.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces the difficult task of guessing which formation United will play
The Old Trafford side have made an impressive recovery from their humiliation in the Premier League
It is a long way from the disappointing first games of the season. Solskjaer said: ‘We have been looking for fitness and shape. Good players can always play together and we have different ways of playing, different systems.
“Last season, we worked a lot on our principles and the way we wanted to play. Two central midfielders have us a base. We have since joined the squad with Edinson Cavani, Donny van de Beek and Alex Telles.
‘Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford are back in shape now, so we have more tactical options, if we want to play 4-3-3, diamond, 3-4-3, 3-5-2.
“You can’t play with the top 10 forwards on the team together. Of course you need balance and that is what we are working to find.
“Without the fans, it is a different game. Sometimes, with the sterile environment, you have more time to put the players in their tactically correct position, instead of feeding more on the energy that the fans give you. ‘
