The suspicion that the 4-2-2-2 formation had run its course at Manchester United was confirmed with the system against Aston Villa on Monday night. United reverted to their customary 4-2-3-1, the performance a minor improvement yet the formation almost as problematic as it was under the previous regime.
United were outnumbered in midfield, Ollie Watkins tested the crossbar's resistance, Jacob Ramsey's deflected side-footer trickled wide and Villa had two goals chalked off for offside. Their general play was more controlled than United's and at one stage they had more than 60% of possession.
For the second match running, Ralf Rangnick changed formation in the second-half, switching to a midfield diamond with the introduction of Donny van de Beek. That took the game away from a fatigued Villa, whose bench largely consisted of players unknown to anyone other than their own supporters.
"The game against Villa today confirmed, with a minimum three central midfielders, we had problems in times of the game to control the centre of the pitch," Rangnick explained. "From the very moment when we changed to a diamond in the last 20 minutes, when Donny came on, from then on we controlled the game, we had our counter-attack situations."
The freshness of Jesse Lingard and Anthony Elanga enabled United to see out a tight contest relatively comfortably. The in-game management was more impressive than the patchy performance and a means to an end against the Premier League's 13th-placed side.
Rangnick felt United struggled in midfield against 'quite a central team'. A glance at Villa's teamsheet confirmed they would have a numerical advantage over United in midfield, where Bruno Fernandes was too distant to muck in with Scott McTominay and Fred. United's front four were so detached from the other seven starters at one point a jumbo jet could have been wedged between the attack and defence.
Steven Gerrard faced the Stretford End at kick-off but avoided its denizens at full-time. He approached the tunnel with his hands stuffed into his pockets and his head bowed, powerless to do anything but continue in his stride to the soundtrack of 'You Scouse b-----d'.
Gerrard will rue the missed opportunities and relish the rematch at Villa Park at Saturday tea time. The occasion is ripe for another United setback: Villa can right the wrongs of the FA Cup tie, with Philippe Coutinho potentially debuting against a United side unnerved at Newcastle and Norwich last month
Turn the floodlights on at Villa Park and you flick a switch with the atmosphere. Villa have cause to be optimistic about beating United in the league at home for the first time since August 1995. United will be backed heartily in the Doug Ellis Stand as their supporters return to one of their favourite away grounds since 2015.
Whether it is home or away, opponents scent blood against United. Burnley, Wolves and Villa threatened to varying degrees at Old Trafford, where the away dressing room is no longer teeming with 11 condemned men waiting to be led to the stocks.
How United counter Villa hinges heavily on the formation Rangnick chooses. 4-2-2-2 has been abandoned and United have since set-up in a back three, 4-2-3-1 and a diamond - four formations across two games.
Changing to the diamond on the evidence of 20 minutes against a tired team would possibly be hasty but it has merit. Rangnick emphasies the importance of control with and without the ball and those on the left and right could drop back or at least match Villa's own three-man midfield.
A narrower formation would deprive United of inverted forwards, which is advisable. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford have taken turns at resembling shadows of their former selves and a diamond would eliminate the issue.
Van de Beek started his first Premier League match in a diamond at Southampton, where United produced one of their most accomplished performances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season. The 2-0 half-time deficit was as misleading as the 3-2 win was deserved.
There are drawbacks. United lack a reliable partnership up front and Edinson Cavani is only durable for one start per week. If Cristiano Ronaldo lines up for the Premier League anthem at Villa Park, his partner would have to be Rashford or Mason Greenwood, both without a league goal since October.
McTominay is suspended but it would be defeatist of United to consider his absence a 'blow' when a midfield triumvirate of Van de Beek, Nemanja Matic and Fred has potential. Matic was sharp in a diamond as far back as Fernandes's first Premier League goal at Everton in March 2020 and Fred thrives when his pressing is maximised further forward.
Van de Beek would have to start and that has not happened in a meaningful league match since he lasted 45 minutes at West Ham in December 2020 - six days after the Southampton comeback.
Perhaps Van de Beek hasn't run his course at United.
