Manchester United’s dream to continue their unbeaten run has come to an end. It was Chelsea who finally end the streak in last weekend’s FA Cup semifinal. The Blues will face Arsenal in the final, who defeated Manchester City with a similar two-goal margin just a day before.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Frank Lampard approached this game rather cautiously. They moved from their regular formations and decided to start the match with three centre-backs. Despite the similarity on paper, both managers deployed different tactics on the pitch. Without further ado, this tactical analysis will inform you how the match unfolded.
Lineups
Solskjær opted for 3–4–1–2 in this game, moving from the regular 4–2–3–1 he always chose since Project Restart began. The trio of Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelöf was chosen to play at the heart of United’s defence. Meanwhile, at the top, the duo of Daniel James and Marcus Rashford was supported by Bruno Fernandes behind them. Names like Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Odion Ighalo, and Mason Greenwood had to start the game from the bench.
Lampard, on the other side, opted for 3–4–3. The shape can swiftly move to a back-five system with wing-backs Reece James and Marcos Alonso dropping in parallel with the centre-backs. Upfront, Lampard chose Olivier Giroud to spearhead Chelsea’s attacks, flanked by Willian and Mason Mount. Their dugout was filled with players like Tammy Abraham, Pedro Rodríguez, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
