Manchester United fought well against a competitive Sevilla team. However, United need to fix a few things going into Saturday’s match with Brighton.
First and foremost, Manchester United must possess the ball out of the back. Earlier in the week, spectators witnessed United attempt the long ball up the field, multiple times, with no success. Evidently, the long pass in the air does not work, so Mourinho must adapt his tactics to win games.
Additionally, the long ball is easy to defend against. Long balls often have a lot of hang time, thus giving the opposition time to move into an advantageous position. The best example of this can be seen in the Sevilla match. Manchester United could not advance the ball past the half line, so the backline had no choice but to send a long ball.
Mourinho made a smart decision using Fellaini as a target, even though the long ball was ineffective the whole match. In a perfect world, Fellaini would receive the ball and get it to a teammate every time. However, this is not a perfect world, and Fellaini can only do so much as one man.
In addition to changing up the passing game, Manchester United must pass forward. In the Liverpool game, United showed no fear in the attacking game. Games can be won when Mourinho’s men attack the goal. United tie games when the players show no ambition to attack. Yes, the players can still pass back, but there needs to be attacking play.
What to look for in Saturday’s FA Cup match
For Manchester United, look for Romelu Lukaku to get in on net. He is Manchester United’s top striker, and when the right players on the field, great things can happen. In addition, keep an eye on the wings because United has a strong set of wingers in Martial and Sanchez. Also, McTominay could make an appearance playing as a defensive midfielder with Matic. Manchester United has a solid midfield, but it’s up to the defense not to skip the midfield.
For Brighton, keep track of Izquierdo. The midfielder is fast, techincal, and powerful. His shot should not bother de Gea, but his speed on the outside could be detrimental to United’s defense. Brighton sit in 11th place in the Premier League, so United are clear favorites. Despite being favorites, Brighton can still upset United. If United want to continue in the FA Cup, they have to play the way they did against Liverpool.
Next: Manchester United: Who will play for England in the World Cup?
Manchester United have the upper hand in Saturday’s matchup, but it is up to the team to secure a win. In today’s game, wins are earned because anybody can beat anybody. Surely, Mourinho knows what went wrong in Tuesday’s embarrassing Champions League exit. With the FA Cup being the last true shot at silverware, Manchester United must defeat Brighton.