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#2 Inclusion of younger players who provide width
Lukaku has also benefited from the recent injuries suffered by midfielders Ander Herrera and Juan Mata. Herrera has played very well for United this season, but he usually excels in a box-to-box role, and prefers to play short, incisive passes instead of sending crosses to the box. Mata is also not a wide player, and prefers to play as a central midfielder.
Now, Lukaku is a big and strong centre-forward, who enjoys playing a direct role, and prefers to take on the opposition centre-backs directly. He does not have the tendency to veer towards the flanks or fall back to the middle third in order to help in build-up play.
Their injuries have opened up the avenues for younger players like Diego Dalot, Fred and Andreas Pereira, who are more direct in their approach, and very good crossers too. Dalot seems to have solved United’s problem of lacking a genuine right-sided midfielder. Some of his deliveries into the opposition penalty box have led to goals for United.
