Erik ten Hag can revert to best Manchester United attack vs Real Betis

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was rightfully angered by his players during that demolition against Liverpool as the Dutchman contemplates whether to stick or twist when the push for European glory resumes on Thursday night at Old Trafford.

Spanish opponents Real Betis are next up for wounded United after any supposed quadruple hopes were ended in disastrous fashion by their bitterest rivals. But even in this hugely-encouraging campaign, Ten Hag and his team have been in a similar position before.

In among the undoubted success, underlined by a first trophy since 2017, the season has been bookmarked by alarming defeats, such as those to Brentford and Manchester City for example, but on both occasions Ten Hag did not rip up his blueprint.

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Naturally, he made some key changes to his line-up - with Raphael Varane and Casemiro first coming into the mix respectively this term on the back of those games - but the framework remained the same. That was born from success rather than stubbornness, as results have proved.

Having shipped no fewer than seven goals in 47 gut-wrenching minutes, you would expect the preferred back four to come under some pressure for their spots. However, successful teams defend from the front and that is something United simply did not do against Liverpool.

It should be the first port of call for Ten Hag to address before kick-off on Thursday night (8pm).

While the mercurial Antony has shown glimpses of his talent this campaign, most notably and recently against Barcelona in this same competition, United have often sacrificed his attacking talents to solidify before their so-called bigger matches, and certainly when trying to protect advantages.

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