It has been an impressive few days for Marcel Sabitzer. The 29-year-old netted his first Manchester United goal in their chaotic comeback win over Fulham heading into the international break, and continued his scoring form for his national side.
Sabitzer scored twice and set up another as he captained Austria to a 4-1 victory over Azerbaijan last week and could feature for them against Estonia tonight, despite a recent knee injury.
What is so interesting about the Bayern Munich loanee is the versatility he has shown this season, having already played in defensive, central, and attacking midfield since he joined United two months ago.
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His most recent performance for Austria came at the heart of a 4-4-2 formation, that saw him combine his defensive duties with his desire to attack, showcasing both sides of his game. This adaptability is a wonderful trait to possess, however, it has sometimes been his downfall too, given that he hasn't always had a specialist position to nail down and master.
That has been particularly apparent at United, with Sabitzer being asked to fill in wherever his team has needed him, which has not always suited his strengths as an attacking threat.
It will likely be the case again after the international break as Erik ten Hag looks to get through another three matches without the suspended Casemiro, while Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek are both still injured.
Sabitzer will most likely need to be used in a more defensive role to help compensate for the Brazilian's absence, further adding to the dilemma of which position suits him best.
There is no option to make his loan deal permanent, though United could negotiate with Bayern at any time about doing so if they wanted.
United will almost certainly look to sign another creative midfielder this summer, and Sabitzer isn't distracted by the fact that it could end up being him.
He said: "I had to make a quick decision (to join) in January. I was focused on this, it was clear it is just a loan until the summer. I take every game as it comes, I am very happy to be here. I will give 100 per cent. Whatever happens in the summer, we will see."
His versatility is certainly a huge bonus for a potential squad role next season, but before they can offer him that, they need to establish where he really fits into the bigger picture. The good news for United and Ten Hag is that they are getting much closer to being in a position where that will be the case.
United have fielded a makeshift midfield for the majority of the Austrian's time at the club, but will soon be in a position to welcome back Eriksen from injury and Casemiro from suspension. When that is the case, it is most likely Ten Hag will resort to the same midfield trio that played a key role in their resurgence this season, with Sabitzer dropping to the bench alongside Fred and Scott McTominay.
It will only be then that we'll discover the new midfield pecking order at United and see exactly where the Bayern loanee ranks alongside his teammates. Having so much choice will also shed light on where the manager sees Sabitzer's best role in his side, given that he won't have to be repurposed to compensate for absentees and will be able to play wherever he is most effective.
We are about to find out just how much he really suits this squad.
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