Erik ten Hag's latest tactic is one inspired by fellow rivals managers Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as the Manchester United boss starts to deploy his full-backs in a more inverted role.
That is at least acording to ex-Red Devils midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who noticed the trend while watching United's home clash in the Europa League against Cypriot outfit Omonia. Scott McTominay spared the hosts' blushes with a 93rd minute winner when it looked as if their visitors were all set to hold on for what would have been two embarrassing points dropped by Ten Hag's side.
After the game, Hargreaves explained what he had witnessed from United's full-back pairing as he claimed at half-time: "We haven’t really seen it, we seen [sic] it at Ajax but the full-backs are coming inside, you see [Diogo] Dalot in there - we see it from Pep and his teams and United are doing it today.
"It’s not just Dalot doing it, [Tyrell] Malacia, he’s been in the centre of midfield, he goes inside and eventually goes outside. He’s looking to overload inside so they can get a numerical advantage, so far it hasn’t come off but if you look at the second half the defenders will be in central areas."
Sure enough, Hargreaves assessment was correct and United's relentless attacking pressure eventually told as they bagged the goal that hands them all three points and keeps them breathing down the necks of group leaders Real Sociedad.
Full-backs taking up a more central role is something we have seen for a while with Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp's teams, Trent Alexander-Arnold is operating at such a high level while doing it that it has led to calls for him to be moved permanently into a midfield role.
Dalot is one player who has seriously benefitted from Ten Hag's arrival, with previous managers such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick often favouring Aaron Wan-Bissaka over the Portgual international.
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The United boss praised the efforts of his players come full-time, despite the fact they were just seconds away from becoming the butt of many jokes if they'd failed to beat a side currently sitting outside the top five of the Cypriot first division.
"They [kept the faith] and that's why they scored," Ten Hag claimed. "I have to compliment the team.
"We kept patient, kept getting in the right positions, kept creating chances and we didn't allow the opponent to come out, so I think they did well. The performance was well done."
Ten Hag will know all too well United will need to perform a lot better than they did on Thursday night if they are to beat Real Sociedad in their final group stage game and avoid playing an extra two games at the round of 32 stage as a result of finishing the group in second.
