Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag told he must start Scott McTominay against Arsenal
Erik ten Hag has to field Scott McTominay against Arsenal on Sunday or risk Manchester United being overrun in midfield once again.
That’s the opinion of former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who has not been impressed with what he’s seen this season from United in the middle of the park. United have won two of their three Premier League matches but are yet to play in the manner Ten Hag wants them to.
One of the main problems has been the lack of balance in midfield, where holding player Casemiro has been left exposed by the more attack-minded pair of Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes. Murphy believes that McTominay needs to come in for the trip to north London or else Arsenal could have a field day.
“Erik ten Hag is asking for trouble if he starts Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes as his midfield against Arsenal,” he wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
“Opponents have already found it too easy to play through Manchester United and if he sticks with that three against the Gunners, they will get done.
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“The injuries to Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw mean United’s defence will need even more protection. Ten Hag’s got to bring in someone like Scott McTominay to get the balance right. Or even new signing Sofyan Amrabat.
“McTominay is brilliant defensively, he spots danger, he tracks runners, he’s not someone who Kai Havertz or Martin Odegaard will want hovering around them. He won’t let them off the hook.”
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Ten Hag is well aware of the problem, but has defended his midfielders against the criticism levelled at them. United have taken 42 points from 17 games when Casemiro, Eriksen and Fernandes have started together in the Premier League and the Dutchman thinks the issues are about structure, not personnel.
"When we play with Casemiro and Eriksen and Bruno we are very successful," he told Sky Sports. "It was absolutely a team problem. We analysed and we showed the team where the problem was.
"It had to do from the back by squeezing. It had to do from the front by late responding or not responding. Act as a team. Not every player matched the standards that they are supposed to do. We worked a lot in the last two weeks on that factor.
"We have to improve. Especially when you face Arsenal, who have such a quality team. When you are not in the right organisation, you will get problems. We have to avoid such problems by doing the right stuff. We have to demand more from the players.
"We have to match high standards in those moments in games. It is about the front not matching those standards, as well as the back. When you do not match the standards from the rules then we have a problem. Every team would have a problem."
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