Neville: Change in Man Utd formation suited ‘little boy’ after Liverpool
Gary Neville thinks Man Utd striker Cristiano Ronaldo “looked like a little boy” in their defeat to Liverpool but benefitted from a change in formation against Tottenham yesterday.
The Red Devils bounced back from a 5-0 humiliation against Jurgen Klopp’s side by beating Tottenham 3-0 on Saturday.
Victory in north London ended United’s four-match winless run in the Premier League and lifted them to fifth, only three points behind third-placed Man City.
16 Conclusions: Tottenham 0-3 Manchester United
Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer switched his formation to a 3-5-2 against Spurs and it worked as goals from Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford sealed the three points for Man Utd.
And Neville reckons the change of tactis suited Ronaldo more than anyone after the Portugal international had a torrid time against Liverpool last weekend.
Neville said on Sky Sports: “There’s no doubt this is not Ole’s plan. Leaving Sancho, Rashford and Greenwood on the bench is not the plan. That wasn’t the plan in the recruitment, that wasn’t the plan for Ole how he was thinking he was going to play.
“He’s played 4-2-3-1 last 37 matches. This is not his plan to go to 5-3-2. But the change of system, it did look like it suited Cristiano Ronaldo. It took the pressure off him from a defensive point of view.
“Seeing him upfront against Liverpool last week, or against Leicester on his own, he looked like a little boy.
“But today it suited him perfectly to play in those moments. Today was a good day for him, not just for the goal, but because it looked like he played in a team that he was part of.
“Last few weeks he’s been exposed, been asked to press, and he can’t do that.”
The build-up. The assist. The finish. 🤤#MUFC | @ECavaniOfficial pic.twitter.com/a0zrMXHHaS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 31, 2021
Despite a good win at Tottenham, Neville was critical that it had taken Solskjaer so long into the season to find a formation that works.
Neville added: “I think whichever pair of centre-backs they put together in the back four at the moment aren’t capable. I thought Varane did a great job of bolstering the back line.
“I thought it made the midfield players a lot more confident to press and win the ball back. But the big difference was Cavani and Ronaldo being close to the midfield and back four.
“They were about 30m from from the back four all game and the last few weeks it has been about 45/50m – you could drive a bus through them.
“There’s been a massive change this week, but why has it taken really bad performances to get to this point? It shouldn’t’ have had to take that with that quality of player and manager they have.
“I’m stunned that it’s taken six, seven, eight weeks of really bad performances and inept attitude to defending without the ball.
“Why has it taken the manager being on the brink of the sack, why has it taken the 5-0 defeat against Liverpool to get into a defensive shape?
“I don’t know why it’s taken so long for the coaching staff to demand that from the players or the players to step up and do it but it shouldn’t have to take that much.
“They’ve done something today they’ve not done all season and that’s look like half a team without the ball.”
