Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Omar Garrick

Ralf Rangnick’s obvious Manchester United decision could make the difference against Leeds

It will be an interesting time for Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United, who is expecting a different sort of contest when his team faces Leeds United on Sunday.

Rangnick's United have been a bit 'Jekyll and Hyde,' as he touched on after the 2-0 victory over Brighton, and it's not like he had to point this out. Supporters can see it from their very own eyes!

Against Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds will be a different sort of test for Rangnick, and in his pre-match press conference for the game, he admitted they have strengths that'll test his team;

He said: "Leeds are playing in a very special way.

"They are playing very fast transitional football when they are in possession. When they pass the ball, they are trying to increase the tempo of the game."

"They probably play with the highest speed and tempo. On the other hand, they have conceded quite a few goals, and I think we know we are prepared for the game."

It's certainly going to be an entertaining game at Elland Road, and it'll be interesting to see whether Rangnick's approach to the game differs from how United played against Leeds under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

There are definitely elements that Rangnick can use to his advantage, from the way United set up against Marcelo Bielsa's team in the two home matches they played at Old Trafford.

United came out on top as 6-2 and 5-1 winners, and there was one player who was pivotal in both those performances.

That player is Scott McTominay.

McTominay was sensational in United's two home matches since Leeds got promoted ((Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images))

In the 6-2 win, McTominay scored two in the match, becoming the first player in Premier League history to score twice inside the first three minutes.

On top of his two goals, he got himself an assist, made five clearances, seven ball recoveries, three key passes and won four ground duels.

It was arguably his best performance in a United shirt. In fact, this season, in the 5-1 victory, he also put in another stellar performance.

The 25-year-old was arguably one of the unsung heroes on the day at Old Trafford, producing an energetic display in the heart of United's midfield.

His first-half performance in that game was where he truly excelled. He made more touches (34), recoveries (5), clearances (3), tackles (2) and interceptions (1) than any other player, with a pass completion rate of 84.4%.

However, if McTominay is going to have as much impact on Sunday as he did in the previous two matches, Rangnick will have to change his ways.

In recent weeks, the Scotland international has been deployed in a defensive midfielder role rather than a box-to-box player, which hasn't gotten the best out of him.

United supporters know that McTominay is better going forward than he is defensively, and if he is to have an impact against Leeds, he needs to be allowed to run into the pockets of space and be a threat in the final third.

We'll have to see whether Rangnick switches things up, but based on previous evidence, it feels like pushing McTominay further forward is an obvious decision to make.

Should McTominay have a more advanced role against Leeds? Follow our United On My Mind writer Omar Garrick on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.