Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra disagreed with Gary Neville over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team selection against Chelsea, claiming he should have stuck with a back-three system and kept Axel Tuanzebe in the side.
Solskjaer reverted to the same XI that beat Newcastle 4-1 last Saturday despite United having since recorded an infinitely more impressive 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
That has seen a return to a back-four system, with Alex Telles and Tuanzebe dropping out and captain Harry Maguire returning to the centre of defence/
Tuanzebe's absence from the XI, especially given United's poor defensive record this season, is one that caused plenty of surprise on social media and with Evra — but not with Nevile.
“I think the back five he’s picked is who he trusts most," Neville told Sky Sports ahead of kick-off. "With Maguire fit, he’s felt comfortable to go back to the back four. It’s the one you’d expect Ole to pick, I know the team did very well in Paris, but that certainly is the chosen five that he would always go with."
Evra disagreed over the formation and the omission of Tuanzebe, though, claiming that United's lack of quality at centre-back suits a three-back formation.
“I am surprised," Evra said in response to Neville. "I know the back four is United’s DNA, but the way we concede goals with five at the back - or three — because people say it’s five, but it’s more like a 3-4-3.
"Right now, I don’t think we have any centre-backs who can deal every game in one-v-ones apart from Axel Tuanzebe. I think he had a great performance against PSG.
"So, that’s why he (Solskjaer) is talking about rewarding players [in his pre-match interview], but what about playing the best players? But we’re behind him and we trust him."
