89% pass accuracy, 8/10 rating – Man United man shows Erik ten Hag should listen to Gary Neville’s advice

One Manchester United star has shown that Erik ten Hag should listen to the advice of the former captain during the international break.

Manchester United’s defensive struggles persist despite the addition of three new signings under Erik ten Hag last summer.

The club brought in Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Noussair Mazraoui in an attempt to address their defensive frailties following a Premier League campaign in which they conceded 58 goals.

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While goalkeeper André Onana has shown significant improvement in form, the team continues to leak goals, having already conceded 14 in their first ten games of the season.

With this in mind, former United captain Gary Neville explained earlier this week that he feels Ten Hag should consider switching to a back-three system to help lighten the load on his centre-backs.

“I can’t understand why he has not gone to three at the back,” Neville said. “Seriously, if ever there was a team where you didn’t have a pair of centre-halves who could play together, then it’s that group.

“There’s six of them there – there’s Yoro, (Victor) Lindelöf, (Harry) Maguire, Martínez, De Ligt, and Jonny Evans. My view is that if you look at Martínez – he’s perfect for a left centre-back in a three. Harry has played in a three many, many times in his career.

“De Ligt is someone who I think needs other people around him. I said at the start of the season – if ever there was a team that looked like [would suit a back three], it’s United.”

Although Neville explained playing a back three in terms of the club’s centre-backs, one man who’s shown himself to excelk in the positon, with Manuel Ugarte playing in the middle of a back three for Uruguay during their 1-0 loss against Peru.

Despite the final result, El Observador handed the 23-year-old a glowing 8/10 rating.

They described him as “Uruguay’s best player, not only for the way he defended, for how he treated the ball but for his attitude throughout the game.

“He played as a free agent in the back three. He imposed his style of play, going out with the ball at his feet. At 22 minutes, in a dead ball near the Peruvian area, he appeared at the first post and connected with a header that went wide.

“At the end of the first half, in Uruguay’s worst moment, he lost a ball that created a dangerous situation on the sky blue goal and the same Manchester United midfielder corrected his error with a good close. From the back, he tried to lead the team forward.”

Just as Amad Diallo did during the September international break, Ugarte has shown Ten Hag his capabilities outside of his usual role, which may give the Dutch manager something to think about should he consider the tactics proposed by Neville.

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