In a surprising turn of events, Raphael Varane found himself on the bench for Manchester United’s 4-3 defeat against Copenhagen, with Jonny Evans getting the nod alongside a resurgent Harry Maguire. Unfortunately,
Evans was forced off early in the game due to injury, compounding United’s defensive challenges with Lisandro Martinez already sidelined. This leaves manager Erik ten Hag with limited options in defense, particularly as Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, both left-backs, are also unavailable.
With Evans set to miss “the next few weeks” due to a thigh strain, Varane and Maguire emerge as the likely top choices in the available defensive lineup.
Ten Hag expressed a preference for keeping the two players apart. Despite acknowledging moments where Varane and Maguire have proven they can play together, he highlighted concerns about the fluidity of build-up when one of them operates from the left centre-back position.
Ten Hag elaborated on the challenges posed by the current defensive lineup, noting that the right-footed nature of players like Evans, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof impacts the construction of a cohesive formation.
While Maguire has been performing well, Ten Hag emphasized that tactical considerations, rather than individual attributes, guide his decisions. Responding to claims that Maguire and Evans’ ball-playing abilities influenced his preferences, the manager stressed that such attributes were never the primary concern.
The boss clarified that Rapha Varane had excelled in combinations with Lisandro Martinez and other defenders.
The tactical reasons behind choosing specific defensive partnerships take precedence. Despite Varane’s consistently strong performances, Maguire’s current form and the existence of internal competition play a role in team selection.
As Manchester United prepares for the upcoming match against Luton Town, Ten Hag faces the challenging task of selecting the starting center-backs from the options of Maguire, Varane, and Lindelof.
The internal competition for defensive positions adds an additional layer of complexity, highlighting the manager’s emphasis on tactical considerations and the dynamic nature of team selection based on form and fitness.
