Manchester United 3-0 FC Basel: Unplayable Fellaini and other key talking points 

#4. Basel's switch to a back three fails miserably

That back three plan did not pan out well for Raphael Wicky

FC Basel came to Old Trafford with their priorities set clearly. Sit back, defend deep - and in numbers - and try to hit the vastly more superior-on-paper home side on the counter. To this effect, they went with a back three, a midfield four, and a front one... a combination that essentially spent the day (especially the first half) being a back five, a midfield four... and a lone, lonely, forward.

Despite these vast numbers at the back, United found space easy to come by - especially down their right flank - and Messrs. Young, Fellaini, and Mata ran into the space between left center back Eder Balanta and left wing back Bias Riveros time and time again while in the middle of the field, Lukaku's movement and Mkhitaryan's passing wreaked havoc with the Basel gameplan.

The Swiss giants were much better in the second half when a combination of a touch of the hairdryer from Raphael Wicky and a change in tactics meant Basel pushed men forward in greater numbers and took the game to United. Sure, they may have conceded two goals in that period, but with more astute finishing - or a more lax goalie than David De Gea - they might have pulled their way back into the game.