Manchester United performed well with a strikerless offensive line against Liverpool last weekend. "Manchester Evening News" commented that moving Benjamin Sheshko to the bench was a brave decision made by Ruben Amorim. Sheshko scored two...
Manchester United performed well with a strikerless offensive line against Liverpool last weekend. "Manchester Evening News" commented that moving Benjamin Sheshko to the bench was a brave decision made by Ruben Amorim.
Sheshko scored two goals in the last two games for Manchester United, but Amorim decided to return to the striker-less trident used in the first three games of the season. Mateusz Cunha, Mason Mount and Brian Mbeumo were threats in those games, but all three were unable to score when playing at the same time (Mbemo's goal against Burnley came after Mount was substituted).
Although Manchester United was at risk of weak attack at Anfield, Mbemo scored two minutes before the Kop, perfectly responding to Ahmed's precise pass and scoring a wonderful goal. The decision to use the Trident without a Trident worked wonders. Mbemo, Cunha and Mount have performed well, leaving Amorim facing tough squad choices when Brighton visit Old Trafford this weekend.
Should Amorim stick to the strikerless system that worked at Anfield? United had one of the worst offensive lines in the league last season, so it will be refreshing for Amorim to have sweet selection troubles now. This was a welcome annoyance to Amorim. The 40-year-old coach has ample offensive options and can flexibly adjust his lineup this season according to the characteristics of his opponents.
The offensive system has been set up for Amorim. Considering the high stakes, he must understand the importance of correct formation against Brighton. The victory over Liverpool was excellent, but it must be used as a springboard to continue winning. Therefore, the importance of facing Brighton in this round is almost as important as last week's trip to Anfield.
If they can build on their victory over Liverpool and pursue victory, Manchester United will have an excellent opportunity to win three consecutive victories, and may even be in the Champions League during the November international break. It makes sense to let Cunha, Mount and Mbeumo continue to start against Brighton based on their performances on Merseyside, after all, the manager is usually reluctant to adjust the winning lineup. But given Sheshko's form before the Anfield game, it would be equally logical to recall him into the starting lineup.
This will be a dilemma faced by Amorim this week, but considering that he has always included the center in his plan when preparing for the new season, the balance may tilt towards Sheshko. While Cunha, Mount and Mbemo have developed a great understanding, there are also good reasons to move Sheshko to center forward this weekend.
Sheshko landed at Old Trafford in the summer window with a basic transfer fee of 76.5 million euros (66.4 million pounds) plus 8.5 million euros (7.3 million pounds) floating terms. If the offensive system operates smoothly, he is expected to hit the 20-goal mark this season, but it will be difficult for Mount or Cunha to reach this number in the middle.
Sheshko has established a firm foothold in Manchester in the past month. He first scored his first goal against Brentford, and then defeated Sunderland with a smart shot. If he gets consecutive starting opportunities, he may be about to have an explosive period.
The goal ceiling of the Trident without a striker is essentially lower than the offensive system with Sheshko. This is why Amorim should consider putting the Slovenian international back into the starting lineup against Brighton.
If so arranged, choosing who to sit on the bench will undoubtedly be a more difficult problem, but it will inevitably arise between Mount and Cunha, and the two will compete for the starting position of the left attacker. Mbemo has secured a seat on the right after a stunning start to the season, but his performance in the past two weeks has made it difficult to choose between Mount and Cunha on the left:
Mount performed brilliantly against Sunderland and worked tirelessly against Liverpool; Cunha returned to the starting line-up at Anfield, and his exquisite game management skills were crucial in the closing stages. It's an encouraging sign for Amorim to welcome sweet trouble to an offense that struggled last season.
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