United vs Palace: Carrick’s control against Glasner’s gameplan | OneFootball

Manchester United host Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Sunday. Michael Carrick will be facing a different sort of challenge compared to the last few Premier League outings.

United come into the weekend in fourth place in the Premier League with 48 points from 27 matches. Palace, however, sit 13th on 35 points after the same number of games.

The Red Devils are on a six-game unbeaten run so far. They most recently beat Everton 1-0 away on Monday thanks to Benjamin Sesko’s winner.

Meanwhile, The Eagles’ 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers was followed by a 2-0 victory over Zrinjski Mostar on Thursday, allowing them to progress in the UEFA Conference League.

Selection issues shaping the outcome

Lisandro Martinez missed the Everton win, but is expected to return in one to two weeks. This means United’s build-up play will look a lot different.

The Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro pairing will, therefore, need to play it safe from the back. Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, however, will be tasked with dropping deep to help circulate possession in the first phase.

Further forward, Sesko’s form is a massive talking point. United have not been as penetrative at times under Carrick, but the Slovenian’s ability to run in behind offers a direct outlet to unlock stubborn defences.

The South London club’s absentees change the picture, too. Jean-Philippe Mateta is still unavailable, meaning Oliver Glasner will make Jorgen Strand Larsen the main focal point up top once again.

Maxence Lacroix, however, broke the deadlock against Zrinjski after being a doubt for the tie. The Frenchman’s return will, therefore, be pivotal to Palace flipping between a back three press and a compact mid-block without losing their threat.

Key tactical themes

The biggest test will be The Old Trafford club’s first pass from Maguire or Yoro into midfield.

Lacroix, Chris Richards, and Jaydee Canvot can jump aggressively from a back three structure and, therefore, lock play to one side in order to tempt a rushed ball into the half-space. If United overcome this first wave of pressing, the game can open quickly.

On the other hand, Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Munoz can be exposed on the transition from pushing too high up the pitch. Quick switches from Bruno Fernandes to Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, or Amad into the far-side channel could be the trigger for Sesko to attack the box early.

Without Mateta, however, Palace will focus on mobility instead of hold-up play. Evann Guessand and Ismaila Sarr will rotate positions to pull Yoro and Maguire away from their preferred zones.

Unquestionably, Adam Wharton’s dynamism will be a deciding factor. The 22-year-old ace always sets the tempo with a high football IQ and controls the rhythm with practically every type of ball in his locker.

The former Blackburn Rovers man is the heartbeat and engine of his team, and has even been recently linked with a move to M16 ahead of the summer transfer window.

United will need to cut out any possible passing lanes to stop the England international from influencing proceedings. If they manage to do this, then they will be well on their way to seven games without a loss.

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