Sheffield United 3-3 Manchester United: 3 Talking Points | Premier League 2019-20

#1 Tactical miscalculation from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solkjaer

From the first blow of the whistle, it was evident that Solskjaer's match tactics had some serious sticking points.

The United manager deployed a 3-4-3 formation, with two flat midfielders in the form of Fred and Andreas Pereira. He also had Brandon Williams playing at left wing-back, with Phil Jones on the left side of United's 3-man central defence.

The United left flank was open game for The Blades, as Jones was continually found out. He looked uncomfortable playing there and the inexperienced Williams was of no help either. Sheffield got their opener via that route, and the gaffer hauled Jones off in the second half in a bid to change the formation.

The formation also caused United's speedy front men to be isolated, as the Sheffield high press was too much for Fred and Pereira to handle.

United took the lead after a switch to a familiar 4-3-3, however, the boss went for a conservative approach not long afterwards, as he took of Anthony Martial for Axel Tuanzebe. The Red Devils conceded not long afterwards.

Solskjaer went into the game with an unfamiliar set up, in a bid to curtail Sheffield. However, he should have gone with the usual effective 4-3-3 system, and let The Blades worry about United instead. The United manager should also have stuck to his guns after taking the lead, as his switch to a defensive orientation invited Sheffield's winning goal. Both blunders are an indication of the conservative mentality of the United boss.