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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Samuel Luckhurst

Erik ten Hag's half-time substitutions have won nine games for Manchester United

Erik ten Hag's in-game management has drawn plaudits throughout his first season as Manchester United manager and one of his biggest strengths is his decisive half-time substitutions.

United have made 19 changes at the interval this season and the majority of them have contributed to victories.

Here is a rundown of Ten Hag's half-time substitutions and their impact on the games:

Also read: Kane earmarked as United's prime striker target by Ten Hag

Brentford (A): Varane, Malacia and McTominay for Martinez, Shaw and Fred

This is an example of Ten Hag planning beyond the match. United were 4-0 down after 45 minutes at Brentford and though Anfield was the scene of their worst defeat in 91 years, Brentford remains the generational nadir for a United performance.

Raphael Varane, Tyrell Malacia and Scott McTominay all started against Liverpool nine days later and, of those removed in west london, only Lisandro Martinez kept his place.

Varane and Martinez were immense on an uplifting night as United clinched their first victory under Ten Hag, while Malacia also excelled on his full debut.

Score at half-time: Brentford 4-0 United

Score at full-time: Brentford 4-0 United

Liverpool (H): Martial for Elanga

Ten Hag has made half-time changes with United winning, losing and drawing and this was one of his boldest. Anthony Elanga had struck the post at 0-0 and squared to Jadon Sancho to make it 1-0 in an industrious first 45 minutes.

Yet Ten Hag saw potential in United targeting Trent Alexander-Arnold down Liverpool's right-hand side, so Elanga was replaced by his namesake Martial. Marcus Rashford, who started through the middle, switched to the left, Martial occupied the striker's role, lured Alexander-Arnold towards him and sprung Rashford through to score the eventual winning goal.

Score at HT: United 1-0 Liverpool

Score at FT: United 2-1 Liverpool

Real Sociedad (H): Martinez and Fernandes for Dalot Eriksen

On the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away, Ten Hag's changes were in keeping with a surreal occasion that was borderline meaningless as mawkish British football authorities fretted over whether to stage football matches.

Diogo Dalot and Christian Eriksen's removals were pre-planned but came at 0-0. Victor Lindelof had to switch to right-back to accommodate Martinez at centre half and the Swede was outpaced by Takefusa Kubo in the attack that eventually led to a harsh handball that was given against Martinez inside his own area.

Brais Mendez converted the penalty, Sociedad held on and efficiently secured every subsequent result required to top Group E.

Score at HT: United 0-0 Sociedad

Score at FT: United 0-1 Sociedad

FC Sheriff (A): Casemiro for McTominay

Casemiro started for the first time for United against Sociedad and was leggy, so McTominay continued his partnership with Christian Eriksen in Chisinau. In an attempt to get Casemiro up to speed, Ten Hag introduced the Brazilian for the uneventful second half with United already 2-0 up.

Score at HT: Sheriff 0-2 United

Score at FT: Sheriff 0-2 United

City (A): Shaw for Malacia

This was the afternoon Malacia's first stint as a first-teamer effectively ended. Sixteen-and-a-half years on from Patrice Evra, Malacia became the second United left-back to be given such a chasing at the Etihad that he was hooked at the interval.

Score at HT: City 4-0 United

Score at FT: City 6-3 United

Omonia Nicosia (A): Shaw and Rashford for Malacia and Sancho

Malacia and Sancho continued their left-hand side partnership in Cyprus, where they combined to transform attack into defence and gift the hosts the opening goal and an interval lead.

Challenged to atone for their performances at City four days earlier, Malacia and Sancho fell short and Ten Hag ruthlessly removed the pair. Rashford scored United's equaliser eight minutes into the restart and claimed their winning goal.

Score at HT: Omonia 1-0 United

Score at FT: Omonia 2-3 United

FC Sheriff (H): Maguire and Rashford for Martinez and Antony

One of the few games of the season where United were assured of victory, Ten Hag made two conscious changes with United a goal up through Diogo Dalot's header.

Martinez was a booking away from suspension for the final group game against Real Sociedad and Antony sustained a muscular injury that sidelined him for United's last five matches prior to the World Cup. Rashford nodded in impressively.

Score at HT: United 1-0 Sheriff

Score at FT: United 3-0 Sheriff

Wolves (A): Rashford for Garnacho

Ten Hag had already cut down Cristiano Ronaldo to size, so anyone else was small fry. Rashford's tardiness led to his demotion to the bench when he had scored in both of United's previous games.

With the game goalless at the pause, Ten Hag sent on Rashford and he lashed in the only goal of the contest. Ten Hag's celebration was particularly jubilant, for he had reasserted his authority and elicited the desired reaction from his prime matchwinner.

"Everyone has to match the standards and the rules," Ten Hag said. "So then there have to be consequences, that's also what I expect on the pitch - there have to be consequences, otherwise you can't be successful and I think he gave the right answer."

Score at HT: Wolves 0-0

Score at FT: Wolves 0-1 United

City (H): Antony for Martial

Rashford appeared to be in such discomfort towards the end of the first half of the Old Trafford derby the expectation was he would make way for Antony, who was warming up while his teammates were in the dressing room.

Instead, it was the brittle Martial who was unable to continue. Rashford moved up top and was in the middle to steer in Alejandro Garnacho's cross to complete United's turnaround from 1-0 down to 2-1 up.

Score at HT: United 0-0 City

Score at FT: United 2-1 City

Leicester (H): Sancho for Garnacho

One of Ten Hag's dilemmas with United's wingers is many have reserved their best impacts for off the bench in recent weeks. Sancho scored as a substitute on his first Premier League appearance in nearly four months to equalise against Leeds on February 8 and, 11 days later, he was summoned at half-time against Leicester.

Sancho flourished against Leicester (2023 Manchester United FC)

Sancho's urgency and directness buoyed United, who improved immeasurably on a lethargic first half to kill the game with half-an-hour to spare. Sancho scored their third and final goal in the 61st minute.

Score at HT: United 1-0 Leicester

Score at FT: United 3-0 Leicester

Barcelona (H): Antony for Weghorst

The ends had justified the means with Wout Weghorst as a regular starter, in spite of his harmlessness in front of goal, until Barcelona assumed control of the Europa League play-off tie.

With United 1-0 down, Ten Hag withdrew Weghorst for Antony and United's fluid frontline overwhelmed Barcelona. Fred equalised in the 47th minute and his compatriot Antony caressed in the 73rd-minute winner; the second half-time Ten Hag substitute to stride off the pitch as the matchwinner.

Score at HT: United 0-1 Barcelona

Score at FT: United 2-1 Barcelona

Newcastle (N): Wan-Bissaka for Dalot

The five substitutes rule has emboldened managers to make changes earlier and Ten Hag is one of the most proactive. In the League Cup final, he was more pragmatic, sending on Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Diogo Dalot with United 2-0 up.

Dalot had struggled against the mercurial Allan Saint-Maximin, who had an outstanding chance to put Newcastle ahead, and the Portuguese was booked in the ninth minute. Rather than subject Dalot to another half treading a tightrope, Ten Hag replaced him with a more defensive-minded right-back and Wan-Bissaka won his duel with Saint-Maximin.

Score at HT: United 2-0 Newcastle

Score at FT: United 2-0 Newcastle

West Ham (H): Casemiro for McTominay

United are a serious side again with a seriously good manager and McTominay has been found out. This was the Scot's first start since he was overwhelmed by Arsenal's midfielders on January 22 and he only lasted a half with United fortunate not to be 1-0 down.

West Ham still led early in the second and Michail Antonio had a presentable opportunity to make it two but Casemiro's presence underpinned United's improvement. Once they equalised in the 77th minute, it seemed inevitable they would decide the tie in regulation time.

Score at HT: United 0-0 West Ham

Score at FT: United 3-1 West Ham

Real Betis (H): Wan-Bissaka for Dalot

Dalot was hauled off at half-time for the second time in four games as Ten Hag attempted to address some of the jittery defending that had almost gifted Betis an interval advantage.

Wan-Bissaka barely speaks and Antony barely speaks any English yet they have formed an unlikely alliance down the right. Wan-Bissaka's purposefulness pushed United higher up the pitch and they took the initiative to win well against the fifth-placed team in La Liga.

Score at HT: United 1-1 Betis

Score at FT: United 4-1 Betis

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