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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Tyrone Marshall

Marcus Rashford goal vs Arsenal showed new Manchester United tactic under Erik ten Hag

The quality of Marcus Rashford's goal against Arsenal lay in its beauty, the skill to step away from Thomas Partey and the arc of the unstoppable shot, starting just outside the post before swerving back in and past Aaron Ramsdale.

But its construction will arguably please Erik ten Hag most of all. It came from Manchester United's press and that's an area where they are improving considerably under the Dutchman.

United were poor in the press last season. They rarely did it under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then lacked the fitness and the cohesion to do it for Ralf Rangnick.

READ MORE: Reliance on Casemiro showed in most important moments vs Arsenal

Now, there are signs it is becoming a major part of their game and it led to the opening goal at the Emirates. Rashford got his rewards for his own hard work.

The forward initially closed down Ben White but when the pass went into Bukayo Saka and Luke Shaw pressed him, Rashford accelerated to double up on his international teammate, who ended up losing the ball. Shaw's touch went to Partey but Rashford was close enough to be a deterrent and intercept a weak pass. The rest was all down to his own brilliance.

This was a fixture between two teams determined to press. Arsenal tried to exploit United's weakness in playing out from the back but Ten Hag's side were just as good at putting the hosts under pressure.

They often blocked Aaron Ramsdale's routes out and Bruno Fernandes would form a front two with Wout Weghorst to press aggressively. United were so high to activate the press that Scott McTominay, the deepest midfielder, was often within 35 yards of the Arsenal goal.

United are a completely different proposition when it comes to pressing than they were with Cristiano Ronaldo in the side and Weghorst is an upgrade on Anthony Martial in that department. The coaching staff like Martial's intelligence when it comes to the press, but Weghorst is all action.

Fernandes is the same and having them next to each other makes it very difficult for teams to play through the middle of United from deep positions. Rashford and Antony are both pressing out wide as well and that's helping to win the ball back in higher positions.

For all the quality of this game and the goals, three of them came from turnovers. Arsenal's first goal stemmed from a corner that was won when Gabriel Martinelli boxed Aaron Wan-Bissaka in and the same player took the ball off Christian Eriksen in the lead up to Saka's goal.

There were positives for United to take. They played their part in a hugely entertaining game, but this was evidence they still have ground to make up to be realistic title challengers.

They played themselves into trouble and were unable to control the tempo of the game in the closing stages. Once again away from home they tried to protect a result and failed to do so. They've been unable to build on the high of that derby win, taking just a point from their two games this week.

But there is clear progress under Ten Hag and United's pressing is a sign of that.

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