Casemiro could unlock three Manchester United players starting vs Real Sociedad

Erik ten Hag has ripped up the rule book. For years at Manchester United, it was presumed a two-man defensive midfield pivot was needed in front of the back four, but no longer.

It seemed even Ten Hag himself believed that platitude when picking his first competitive line-up as United manager. Like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick before him, the Dutchman — largely due to a lack of other options, amid the frustrating Frenkie de Jong transfer chase — plumped for a predictable midfield pairing.

Scott McTominay and Fred. Together the duo known colloquially as 'McFred' have often been unfairly maligned, though they didn't cover themselves in glory in that 2-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford on the opening day.

READ MORE: United have got their own De Jong for free

Criticism of the pair often goes overboard, but the transformation in United's midfield since Ten Hag installed Christian Eriksen as a far more creative and bold deep-lying midfielder, alongside McTominay and to ease the creative burden on Bruno Fernandes, has been remarkable. It's even more incredible given that United didn't get their top midfield target (De Jong) and Ten Hag hasn't yet seen fit to start his £60million new signing.

McTominay and Eriksen wouldn't have been many people's choices for the two positions, despite some of the muted excitement around the Dane's free transfer earlier in the summer. But against Arsenal on Sunday, the pair were excellent.

There's still an expectation, however, that Casemiro will eventually take McTominay's place as the United No.6, the true defensive midfielder in Ten Hag's system. Fred, meanwhile, should be seen as a more combative replacement for Eriksen rather than another No.6.

There's every reason to