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Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly planning to switch formations in a bid to improve the club's dismal recent form. The Red Devils are currently in the midst of a rut after a bright start to the season.
United have won just one of their last five matches across competitions. Solskjaer's side most recently fell to a 4-2 defeat against Leicester City in a match that laid bare the shortcomings in the side. The Red Devils were poor in pressing the ball, and saw their flanks continually bombarded by the Foxes' wing-backs.
A major talking point in Manchester United's recent rut has been the injuries faced by the squad. Summer arrival Raphael Varane went down with a groin injury during France's UEFA Nations League final against Spain. Before that, club captain Harry Maguire picked up a calf injury during United's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa in late September.
Varane is expected to be out for at least a few more weeks. Meanwhile, Maguire returned to action during the Red Devils' defeat against Leicester City. However, the decision to play the English centre-back was met with severe criticism on multiple fronts.
That's because Maguire had been out of action for close to a month ahead of the Leicester match. He had not attended too many training sessions before the game either. The move inevitably and predictably proved calamitous for Manchester United.
Maguire understandably looked off the pace throughout, and the Foxes, particularly Kelechi Iheanacho, kept targeting him. The Englishman gave the ball away for Leicester's first goal before playing Caglar Soyuncu onside for their second.
Solskjaer is reportedly looking at different options now. While the club cannot transfer any players until January, The Athletic (via Express) has reported that he will look to use a different formation in the coming weeks.
According to the report, the Manchester United boss is said to be contemplating moving to a back-three to help strengthen the spine of the team. It also said that Solskjaer is prepared to use Luke Shaw and Nemanja Matic as auxiliary centre-backs if United end up being light on the ground in defence.
Will a change in formation help Manchester United get their season back on track?
Manchester United began their 2021-22 campaign at full tilt. The club welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Varane to Old Trafford this summer, prompting optimism around the fanbase.
However, recent results have brought up the same problems that have plagued the club in the last few seasons. United do not have a quality holding midfielder in their ranks. Additionally, most of their attackers like Ronaldo, Sancho and Mason Greenwood, often do not track back to help out the midfield or defence.
A formation change that would see the only pure holding midfielder at the club - Nemanja Matic - move to defence could work either way. With tough fixtures against Atalanta, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur to come in the next few weeks, Solskjaer knows he has to make the right calls soon.
