My takeaways from the #SpursVManUtd game (From a United POV) for the next game against Sheffield United & for the remainder of the season (Long Thread): -

1. The line of credit that David De Gea has had as a United 'keeper is running towards an end unfortunately...(1/n)

especially after his feeble attempt at keeping out the opening goal from Bergwijn...while DDG is an all-time legend at United & had it not been for him, one shudders to think how much lower United would've fallen, but with Dean Henderson emerging at a rapid clip (2/n)

with his loan spell at Sheffield United, it's not a bad option to think that Henderson could actually bump DDG out of the side in the next year or two.

2. The misgivings of the workability of the Pogba-Bruno midfield axis look quite misplaced, as Pogba's introduction (3/n)

completely changed the dynamics of the United midfield & the transition to attack & his dovetailing with Bruno looks exceedingly promising. For the game against Sheffield & beyond, Pogba must start in a double-pivot with Bruno as the creative hook further ahead (4/n)

Put them with either a McTominay or Matic to cover as the defensive screen in that partnership.

3. Against Sheffield, who play with a back-3 and pack up the numbers in the midfield with strongmen like Berge, Norwood & Lundstram, United need to go into a back-3 possibly (5/n)

to ensure that they don't lose out on the numbers game in the midfield or the defence. For that, Bailly must start in that back-3 over Lindelöf, as the Maguire-Lindelöf pairing got exposed brutally for the Spurs goal, with Maguire's lack of pace being the major culprit here (6/n)

With a Bailly coming into a back-3 or a back-4 for Lindelöf, Maguire gets someone who can compensate for his lack of pace & also add a more physical presence to counter the Sheffield strikers, who are all quite physical & can dominate Lindelöf in such a battle (7/n)

If a back-3 is played, then Shaw can tuck into that left-sided centre-back role & Brandon Williams can play as the left wing-back, with one of Matic or McTominay starting with Pogba in the centre midfield to add a physical presence to counter the Sheffield midfield (8/n)

4. United should seriously consider starting Ighalo against Sheffield as either the lone striker or partner him with Rashford in a 3-4-1-2. Ighalo's physicality would be critical to disrupt the Sheffield back-3 & he can keep them engaged & pull them out of place (9/n)

due to his hold-up play, which can allow Rashford, Bruno and Pogba to move into goal-scoring positions.

5. If United do play a 4-2-3-1, then they need to look at starting either Mason Greenwood or Juan Mata over Daniel James. James looked really off-colour against Spurs (10/n)

constantly running into Davies or failing to put in a quality ball into the box from the wider positions. With a Mata on the right, United can use the Bruno-Mata partnership to pick the locks of a watertight Sheffield defence, as they prefer playing in a low-block (11/n)

Also, Mata would add another option from set-pieces as a left-footed player. The advantage of starting Greenwood would be that his striker's instincts would help him find the pockets to try & hit Sheffield on the break & his clinical finishing in front of goal (12/n)

adds yet another string to his bow. Plus, due to his two-footed ability, he can keep the Sheffield defence guessing as to which foot he'll use to shoot on goal, which can also create issues for not only Sheffield, but all the other sides United will face next (13/n)

@OleTrain @GiveItGiggsehhh @abhinaba_gr @UtdApollo @sreshthx, what do you guys think of this?

@mudelhi, what do you think of this guys?