Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Erik ten Hag got three tactical changes right for Manchester United against Newcastle

Erik ten Hag hasn't been afraid to make changes at Manchester United. Whether that be altering the home dugout at Old Trafford, axing Cristiano Ronaldo from the team, or effectively appointing a new captain during the season, Ten Hag has made sure that everyone knows who is boss.

The culmination of his immediate impact came with the Carabao Cup win at the weekend, as United used all of their experience to overcome Newcastle and claim the first silverware of the season.

It wasn't a vintage performance, but it didn't need to be. As always on cup final day, the ends justified the means, and the shining silverware draped in red ribbon made it all worthwhile.

Read next: Wan-Bissaka has surprised Ten Hag

What is important, though, is to look at where the game was won and nearly lost, and in particular, the changes that Ten Hag made during the match to ensure his side held onto their lead.

It is all well saying that Newcastle weren't good enough on the day, but on another they would have found a way back into the game, if not for the wise tactical changes made by the United manager.

Ten Hag won't get much credit for taking Diogo Dalot off at half-time when he was on a yellow card, but it is a switch that not all managers would make if they didn't want to risk upsetting the rhythm of the match.

The United manager had no hesitation to do so, though, as he sent Aaron Wan-Bissaka for a warm-up before the first half had even ended and planned ahead for the change.

It proved to be a masterstroke, with the rejuvenated right-back putting in a sensational second-half performance and playing a key role in subduing the sizeable Newcastle attacking threat.

For much of the second half, United was second best and had little control in midfield. Newcastle had themselves made a half-time change with Alexander Isak replacing Sean Longstaff, which stretched the game in the middle of the park and largely turned it into attack against defence at both ends of the pitch.

With 20 minutes left in the match, Ten Hag made a double substitution that helped his side get a grip again and effectively killed any hope of a comeback.

Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer may not get many plaudits for their introduction at Wembley, but they did make an impact by offering physicality and fresh legs in the middle as United started playing higher up the pitch.

Ten Hag also did a nice job of man-management by bringing club captain Harry Maguire on in the dying moments of the game to ensure he had played a part in the victory.

Maguire might not have a future at the club beyond this season, but it was important to let him have a moment of success and show the respect the manager has for the defender, even if there are better players in his position.

That classy gesture sums up the brilliance of Ten Hag, with the manager having worked so well to merge both the old and the new together, with the entire squad unified in their ambitions.

The next stage of the rebuild will have to involve ruthless decisions to trim down the side of his squad, and Sunday's win has only given him even more power to make those decisions.

Ten Hag's greatest change is that he isn't afraid to make them.

Next up:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.