FA Cup 2019/20: Tranmere Rovers vs Manchester United – tactical analysis

Thirty-two teams remained fighting as the FA Cup fourth round kicked off this weekend. Tranmere Rovers previously knocked out Premier League side Watford days earlier and were immediately thrown into a battle with Manchester United. United narrowly eliminated Wolverhampton Wanderers the previous week but aimed to regain some positive form after suffering two Premier League losses in a row.

After analysis, we see that United deployed in an untypical formation with off-the-ball attacking movements from defenders, midfielders, and forwards alike. Tranmere used counter-attacking tactics in an effort to remain defensively stable, while also creating damage in the form of goals. How did Manchester United walk into their halftime talk ahead with a score of five to zero? This tactical analysis will tell us exactly what happened.

Lineups

Manchester United: Harry Maguire

When in the attacking third of the pitch, Manchester United sought to use defender Harry Maguire as an offensive weapon. Although he is already considered a skilled 1 v 1 defender, Maguire is also a quite capable 1 v 1 attacker.

Manchester United focused much of their attacking play through wide areas. In these moments, Tranmere’s midfield line would shift far across the pitch to stop any United combination play. When the ball made its way to United’s right flank, Tranmere’s midfield line would also shift to that flank and leave a large amount of space on the far side of the field.