Manchester United have two undroppables after surprise tactical set-up vs Leeds

Manchester United’s players stood together in front of a rapturous away end at Elland Road, a defiant show of solidarity after escaping a sometimes toxic atmosphere with all three points.

It was another glimpse of the team spirit Erik ten Hag has been trying so hard to build at United and that collective brotherhood was badly needed in West Yorkshire.

This was a game played at a frenetic pace in a febrile atmosphere. The pre-match rendition of ‘Marching on Together’ shook the rafters and the noise rarely abated. Unfortunately, it entered the realms of the unnecessary as well. Both clubs condemned chanting referencing Munich and Istanbul after the match.

On the pitch, United had to ride out a storm. They were battered in the early stages, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia scythed down by challenges from Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie.

But they were also trying to get to grips with a fresh approach. United’s system from the first whistle was a surprise, with the build-up in a 3-2-2-3 formation, but it bought as many headaches as it did positives and barely survived the opening half hour.

Malacia slotted in alongside Marcel Sabitzer in midfield, with Fred pushed up with Bruno Fernandes and the wingers playing very high.

But progressing the ball forward was difficult. United had a couple of fast breaks but playing through an aggressive and intense Leeds was problematic. On one occasion Shaw moved out wide under no pressure, but with the pass infield to Malacia blocked and Marcus Rashford high up the pitch, he was reduced to a hit and hope to Wout Weghorst. On current form that is much more hope than hit.

It was obvious that United missed their best two line-breaking passers. Casemiro was suspended but the decision to leave Lisandro Martinez on the bench didn’t help. Shaw is a reasonable passer, but he doesn’t have the same skillset as Martinez.

The South American duo are among the best passers at the club and they are vital to United’s build-up. They can both pierce holes in the opposition with quick forward passes, finding the likes of Fernandes or Rashford between the lines. But with both absent that didn’t happen. The build-up was slow and sloppy.

Casmiro’s absence was unavoidable and with Martinez suspended at the Nou Camp, Ten Hag presumably wanted to give Shaw a run at centre-back. But the hostile – and occasionally horrible – inferno of Elland Road was no place to be trying things out. A quiet afternoon at Carrington this was not.

It was actually the first time United have started a Premier League game this season without at least one of Martinez or Casemiro and the difference it made was startling. For all the funkiness of Ten Hag’s opening gambit, there was an obvious drop in quality.

Leeds were content not to even bother pressing the three involved in the build-up from the back. Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire and Shaw were allowed possession and with passing lanes blocked, they didn’t have the quality to pick inventive passes. Time and again they gave it away and put pressure back on themselves.

You don’t usually see changes at centre-back with a game goalless, but Ten Hag could clearly see what the rest of us noticed. Martinez replaced Malacia and Shaw moved to left-back. United began to improve.

You wouldn’t say that the 61st-minute substitute completely tilted the game, but it gave United something they had been lacking in an elite passer in a deep position. Soon after the change United put together their first good attacking move of the half, which ended with Dalot smashing the crossbar.