Manchester United’s first-choice midfield partnership of Scott McTominay and Fred Against certain oppositions and in certain competitions they can be decisive. But to be back challenging for Europe’s elite competitions, they are not the answer.
After Saturday’s game against derby rivals, Manchester City, for some on the home team, it could be the beginning of the end of their Manchester United careers.
United were given a lesson by their neighbours at Old Trafford. It is obvious on the evidence of Saturday’s derby defeat that United won’t do that with a first-choice midfield of Scott McTominay and Fred.
As City passed the ball through and around United’s midfield pair. It became more and more obvious by the minute – United will not reach the level of City with the two midfield sitters they’re currently leaning on.
The players United choose as their midfield lynchpin are going to be additions as significant as any made by United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. The player to arrive – if United do it properly – will be one to set the culture.
As we’ve seen with Jadon Sancho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, waiting for such talent to develop is not what United currently need. United’s dealmaker Matt Judge was driving the move, which eventually fell through as Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard all insisted on staying as the deadline fell.
As mentioned, this current United midfield – against the very elite – lacks authority.
In such a key position, essentially the heartbeat of the team, United need more than they have.
