They say consistency is key. This is something that Manchester United did not have the opportunity to do in the first months of the season.

Erik ten Hag has announced changes to the squad that won against Fulham in last night's trip to Copenhagen, with the fearsome Antony dropped in favor of the returning Marcus Rashford. That would effectively be two changes as Jonny Evans was injured just fifteen minutes into the game, the latest blow they have suffered.

Compounding United's problems is the fact that they do not expect Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro to return before Christmas, which adds to Ten Hag's dilemma. The unfortunate injury record certainly has to be taken into account when analyzing United's poor start to the season, although it also cannot be used to excuse the fact that performances have not been fundamentally good enough. However, even with a shrinking team, Ten Hag did not give up on its dream of stability. This is evident in the squad he chose in Denmark. With the pressure mounting and their hopes of winning the Champions League hinged on a must-win game, the United manager chose a team he could trust, one that placed work-rate and energy on the table. quality over creativity and sophistication.

For these reasons, Scott McTominay retained his position at the heart of midfield. United's over-reliance on Casemiro has been well documented and it is no surprise that a poor start to the season has coincided with poor performances and his injury lay-off.

Sofyan Amrabat has been signed to provide a viable replacement in charge, but it is McTominay who returns there, which is both a compliment and a concern.

You see, the thing with Scotland internationals is that you know what you're going to get, both the good and the bad. He is an incredible athlete with a great work rate and positive mentality, but he is technically limited and lacks the passing range that Ten Hag demands of their midfielders .

It is also clearly stated that he is not a defensive midfielder. He was at his best against Fulham when making forward runs and should have scored a goal, but he received an assist when rushing into the Copenhagen penalty area on Wednesday night.

Even in a typical Ten Hag team, his physical qualities are clearly valuable in midfield; the question is how they regulate him and ensure that he gets to exploit his strengths instead of exposing his weaknesses.

Their answer may lie in United's approach in the second half. With a two-goal lead and a man missing, Christian Eriksen was replaced by Amrabat, which brought much more balance to the midfield by temporarily regaining control of the flow of the match.

The Morocco international can sit back and focus on defensive duties in his preferred role, while McTominay takes up the midfield role and Bruno Fernandes occupies his preferred attacking midfielder position. United improved significantly by controlling the opening exchanges after the break before personal errors and poor match management frustrated them, a factor amplified by their controversial red card. Marcus Rashford was much earlier.

The midfield selection is obviously not perfect, but it could be a hint at the trio United need moving forward, a trio capable of doing the dirty work first and foremost while also being capable of attacking to punish any opponent.

United will need to find that balance if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League last 16 and McTominay's choice of role will be crucial in that regard.

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