Newcastle 0-1 Man Utd: Tactical Deconstruction

United Starting XI It was just the one change from the side that defeated Sunderland 2-0 at the weekend, Wayne Rooney who bagged a brace against Gus Poyet's men was selected as a lone striker to the pleasure United fans. This meant Falcao dropping to the bench, paving the way for Marouane Fellaini to return to the starting XI playing in the position of 'shadow striker' just behind Rooney. Although the Belgian midfielder may suggest that his best position is as a ball winning midfielder in the centre of the park, most will agree that due to his aerial prowess he is much more effective further up the field causing havoc as he did so well for Everton a few seasons ago. United maintained the same basic shape that achieved success at home to Sunderland and although it must be noted that a formation is forever changing throughout a match as the team shifts in and out of transitions, they generally lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system. The last two games have seen United reintroduce wingers to the starting XI to address their much criticised attacking problems. This has meant a recall for Ashley Young who still remains a superb crosser of the ball, despite his challenging time at United. In addition, Di Maria has been pushed out to the right flank in the position he played in for Real Madrid. This tactical shift has also been beneficial for Ander Herrera who was struggling to break into the team but is now required to add numbers to the midfield.