Halfway through a season and yet again, United are under new management. Similarly to last season, we will see three managers in charge for one campaign as after Ruben Amorim's sacking, former Red Darren Fletcher will be in the dugout for Burnley and perhaps Brighton on Sunday as well. Two matches could be the best he's going to get as another former Red and former manager in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks set to return to Old Trafford.
Can't believe we're here again, and so soon 🤯.
14 months of Amorim and he's gone. We all thought it foolish to let him takeover mid-season and was part of the reason as to why we saw what we saw in that forgetful 24/25. To then do the same thing again just over a year later is absolutely baffling 😵.
But we are here once more and I suppose we gotta move on and hope that Fletcher can do a job tonight at Burnley. We need the points after dropping 4 in our last two matches and after not taking advantage of Chelsea and Liverpool slipping up as well.
3 points are essential.
Predicted Lineup
I doubt we'll see him play with three-at-the-back. Fletcher would be an absolute idiot if he did considering all the backlash Amorim faced, although it would be quite funny 😅.
I also don't know what his preferred formation is but I'm guessing that it's something with four in defense.
This team shouldn't be surprising.
Standard back four with Dalot, Heaven, Martinez and Shaw ahead of Lammens.
If Mainoo is available, I'd imagine he would play next to Casemiro otherwise it will be Ugarte. Bruno has been playing as a no 8 for the last year but we know that that isn't his best position and he would prefer to play higher up. In this formation, that will be possible and as he is back, I'm sure he will start at no 10.
To his left will be Cunha and to his right will be Dorgu. The under pressure Sesko to start up front. I suppose he can use Zirkzee but as he isn't a full-on striker, I think Fletcher will stick with the Slovenian.
Approach
Again, I don't really know Fletcher's style of play. As his isn't a formation that uses a back three, I doubt it will be too defensive. It will most likely be something more attacking and look to keep hold of the ball especially against Burnley. I almost feel like he can't afford a flat, boring style of football.
Although Fletcher said he didn't speak to the board about potentially getting the job full-time, I'm sure he'll want to give them a decision to make by playing some great football and winning in a manner that Amorim never did even if it is against a relegation candidate.
The last time we started with four-at-the-back as well, United kept just their second clean sheet of the season which was the 1-0 win over Newcastle. That defense was the same as my predicted lineup and with Burnley struggling to score, there is a chance of not conceding again.
I know it's defensive if Casemiro and Ugarte play in midfield should Mainoo be unavailable but it's for the best if it means playing Bruno as a CAM.
This will make a BIG difference bevause I do believe we've lacked a bit of creativity without him as even from a deeper position, the magnifico was still making things happen. In his best position with two DMs behind him, we should be a flying Bruno who will also be fresh after having some unusual time off through injury.
Having him in behind Sesko who is finding things difficult at the moment could help the young striker as well. He did have chances against Leeds but failed to take them yet with his creative skipper behind him, there is the strong possibility of even more chances being created for the no 9 who is desperate for goals.
United overall just look a lot more settled and comfortable in this formation. Despite not playing it for almost the entirety of Amorim's 14 months, in the one match where he did start with a 4-3-3, there were no issues of players needing time to get accustomed to that system again. That gives me confidence that we should be good in this one.
There's also the factor of the new manager bounce.
There will have undoubtedly been players who didn't like Amorim and his formation and will be happy that those are both gone. To see a familiar face in Fletcher in the dugout will give them an extra boost. He will also have a bit of respect from the players given what he achieved at the club as a player.
We will play like prime Barca now 🤣.
Form
United are now a side who draw a lot of games. Our seven stalemates is the joint third-most. Six of those seven have come in our last 11 including dropping points against the likes of Forest, West Ham, Bournemouth, Wolves and Leeds, all sides we should be beating.
The issue with this is that they were easier fixtures compared to what's to come. Our next two in the league is the derby and a trip to The Emirates which makes tonight's match all the more important. Chelsea play a tough Fulham side while Liverpool go to Arsenal. Perhaps another chance for United to climb the table.
Despite being as shite as we are though, luckily for us, Chelsea and Liverpool didn't want us to feel left out as they too, have been pretty shite. This has allowed United to remain joint-5th with Chelsea and just 3 points behind LFC in 4th. European football is very much on the cards.
However, the flip side is that while 3 points off of 4th is great, we are also just 4 ahead of Bournemouth in 15th 😐.
Shows you just how tight things are in the table.
When it comes to scoring goals, we are one of the best as our 34 is the third-most behind City and Arsenal. We've actually only failed to score in three games meaning that we always give ourselves a chance.
Conversely, with how many we concede, we also give the opposition a chance.
30 is the most conceded in the top 10 with only the bottom six having let in more. As stated, United have also kept just two clean sheets.
It seems that we almost have to score at least 2 goals every game to be in with a chance of winning. Newcastle was the only match in which we scored 1 goal and won.
You then look at the records against the top half v bottom half and see that United prefer to play the better teams.
Top half:
Games - 9
Wins - 5
Draws - 0
Losses - 4
Points - 15/27
Win ratio - 55.6%
Bottom half:
Games - 11
Wins - 3
Draws - 7
Losses - 1
Points - 16/33
Win ratio - 48.5%
Away from home, United are 9th. 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses. Oh God, the dreaded 3-4-3 😨.
We have a -1 GD and 13 points to our name.
Burnley
Scott Parker's side are 19th in the table and looking highly likely to go straight back down as they are 9 points from safety.
They've had just 3 wins all season along with 3 draws and a staggering 14 defeats. Only Wolves have lost more. 20 scored is also the second-fewest while 39 conceded is the third-most. All this means is that they have a total of 12 points.
Burnley are 10th in the home table with just 2 wins at Turf Moor. While they've only conceded 13 (the same as us at Old Trafford), the Clarets have scored just 8 which is the fewest.
Prediction
Honestly, whether we had Amorim in charge or Fletcher, played a three-at-the-back or four, this game really should be a formality.
However, we've said this so many times before only to have been let down by what's happened on the pitch in recent matches and drop silly points to teams like Burnley.
Being a mid-week game, away from home and in winter, this is going to be a tough match. The crowd will be behind their team and try to make it difficult for us and as Burnley are fighting for their lives, they will do everything they can in order to get a positive result.
With all that being said though, I can see us with the new manager bounce, better formation and players returning, picking up a comfortable 3-0 win.
Thoughts on Fletcher's first game in charge?
Armando Broja | Image via Burnley official X (@BurnleyOfficial)
Turf Moor | Image via Burnley official X (@BurnleyOfficial)
Diogo Dalot | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)