When Man United plays Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, manager Erik ten Hag may choose to switch up the attack.
Manchester United’s injury curse, which has dogged the team all season, has returned just when things were starting to look up again.
Following Lisandro Martinez’s knee injury during United’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United on February 4, Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund have now left the team due to muscular issues. Hojlund may be sidelined for as long as three weeks, while Shaw faces a “extended period” on the sidelines.
While finding a comparable substitute for Martinez has not proven to be too difficult for United, finding enough cover for Shaw and Hojlund has proven to be more challenging. On Saturday against Fulham, Victor Lindelof filled in at left-back while Marcus Rashford shifted into the middle of the forward three.
Neither player reached their full potential and neither was able to give manager Erik ten Hag the kind of cover he had hoped for. Tyrell Malacia, Shaw’s backup at left-back, is currently out by a knee injury for United, while Anthony Martial’s groin surgery last month prevents him from filling Hojlund’s vacuum at left-back.
It means United, both at left-back and up front, are relying on players to step out of their natural positions. It has reached the point where Ten Hag is having to put square pegs in round holes.
Despite the injury crisis and the reduction in the number of players United have available, it has not made Ten Hag’s job of picking his starting line-up any easier. Certainly not in attack, anyway.
Prior to Hojlund picking up a muscle injury ahead of the defeat to Fulham, United’s front-three had reached the stage where it picked itself. The aforementioned Dane started through the middle, supported by Alejandro Garnacho from the right and Rashford from the left.
It was a combination that was showing signs of promise. However, the lack of a backup striker means Ten Hag, against Fulham, was forced into a tactical shift, tasking Rashford with moving into the middle, with Garnacho switching back to the left to accommodate Omari Forson’s inclusion on the right for his full debut.
Forson failed to have the debut he would have dreamt of the night before, struggling to impose himself on proceedings. He will be fortunate to keep his place in the starting line-up against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the FA Cup this evening.
Despite Ten Hag launching a staunch defence of Antony in his pre-match press conference yesterday, he, too, would be fortunate to bag a starting berth on the banks of the Trent. He has experienced a torrid campaign thus far, scoring just one goal.
With that said, Rashford’s starting position could dictate who starts on the right-wing. If the England international is again tasked with playing through the middle, Garnacho is highly likely to start on the left, opening the door for Amad to have a stab at leaving his calling card in the race for the right-wing spot.
The Ivorian has featured just twice since returning from injury in December, but impressed during his second-half cameo against Forest in the Premier League at the very end of 2023. He was a rare bright spark that evening and has bizarrely been overlooked since, sorting a paltry 10 minutes under his belt.
If Amad gets the nod on the right, Garnacho is highly likely to start on the left, leaving Rashford to play through the middle. However, as the defeat to Fulham proved once again, Rashford, though he has struggled for form all season regardless of his position, is wasted at centre-forward.
As a lot of United fans and journalists have argued, the time could be right to trial Scott McTominay at centre-forward. The Scot has plundered eight goals this season, most of which have been as a direct result of him getting himself into the right positions at the right times.
His confidence has grown in front of goal, making him a genuine alternative to Rashford to lead the line. He would also provide strength and height to offer United the focal point they miss without Hojlund.
Deploying McTominay as a striker will highlight United’s attacking problems more than ever, but he is worthy of being given a chance up front after stepping up his productivity levels this season. Whether he has Garnacho and Rashford or Amad and Garnacho either side of him, it would resemble a new-look approach.
However, there is a bit caveat on all of this – Ten Hag said late yesterday that Bruno Fernandes is a doubt for the trip to Nottingham, so McTominay could well find himself in that midfield role.
