Louis van Gaal has preached patience to expectant Manchester United fans after Anthony Martial’s goalscoring debut, but Wayne Rooney’s hamstring injury has thrust the youngster into an important role at Old Trafford. Two tactically conservative managers will likely produce a contest defined by sideways passing and carefully shimmying defensive shapes, and as such an explosive Martial cameo is the most likely source of a breakthrough.
The idealistic obsession behind Van Gaal’s patient possession approach has led to a creative stagnancy at Old Trafford, where the piercing runs and high-tempo movement required to create space in the final third are nowhere to be seen. United have made the second-most passes in the league this season, but only the 13th-most key passes; keep a tight defensive shape, and nullifying their threat can be relatively simple.
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