Manchester United treble hero, Dwight Yorke, has claimed that Erik ten Hag should just let current defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka get on with his game.

The Englishman has lost his place to Diogo Dalot as the first choice right back in the team but the huge amount of injuries United have suffered in this campaign has still given him the chance to play plenty of minutes.

However, he has never really convinced fans with his attacking display in spite of his outstanding tackling abilities.

Dalot is widely considered the more rounded right back of the two and hence the manager’s preference for the Portuguese.

Moreover, since the Dutchman has been in the job, there have been numerous rumours about the Mancunian side wanting to upgrade their right back department.

Jeremie Frimpong has often been the player most linked to a move to Manchester owing to his outstanding attacking credentials.

However, according to Dwight Yorke, Ten Hag does not need a replacement and should just let Wan-Bissaka play his current game.

The Trinidad and Tobago international already gave his thoughts on a range of issues in an exclusive interview with The Peoples Person on Marcus Rashford’s future, Ten Hag’s job security and which striker he would like United to bring in during the summer window.

Speaking to Crypto Casino LTD (via The Sun) Yorke has now claimed, “If Jeremie Frimpong is a bit fragile defensively, then he’ll be bought for a certain system by the manager.

“Nowadays, fullbacks play much higher up the pitch and can play in all types of systems, but I don’t know how Erik ten Hag wants to play.

“Man United already have a good right back in Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but you can say he’s the opposite of Frimpong, great defensively but not that great going forward.”

Therefore, Yorke argued that the United coach should find a way to play to his strengths and proceeded to give the former Ajax coach some tactical advice.

“When we attack, we should be letting Wan Bissaka sit back and offer more defensive protection, handling the one v one on the wing. But instead, he’s told to bomb up the wing and try to take on a player, which he can’t do.

“Erik ten Hag should take away Wan-Bissaka’s attacking duties and make him defend, then they can have some solidarity in the defence.

“Instead, Wan-Bissaka, who doesn’t score or create, run around like a headless chicken in the opposition box, running in his teammates’ way.

“It’s not rocket science, watching this unfold is crazy. The one thing you need in the defence is to be able to defend one v one. Just let him f—ing defend.”

Many United fans have accepted, like Yorke, Wan-Bissaka will never be able to make any meaningful improvement in his on-the-ball ability.

However, if used properly, he can be a potent weapon against a skilful winger like he was against Allan Saint-Maximin in the Carabao cup final last season, when he successfully nullified the Frenchman.

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That is exactly what it was as United collapsed from a 3-0 lead to go to penalties, eventually winning 4-2 to reach the FA Cup final.

Championship side Coventry City laid bare United’s limitations once again and while the usual suspects were all bad and continued their poor form, this game will probably be the one which is looked back on as the game which sealed a player’s fate.

Erik ten Hag might well have sealed his managerial fate but Aaron Wan-Bissaka now looks extremely likely to join him.

Not helped by Ten Hag deploying him on the left, he had a nightmare display against second-division opponents.

The fact that he conceded a foolish penalty was the icing on the proverbial cake for a performance that left a lot to be desired.

He lost possession 15 times, a scary number for a player in defence as losing the ball there pretty much means a free attack for the opposition.

Thanks to Ten Hag putting him at left-back, Wan-Bissaka became the black hole in attack as well.

Due to his stronger right foot, he took the ball and shifted to his right, immediately halting the momentum of attacks.

His presence on the overlap became useless as the opposition knew they could stand off him with no consequences as he wouldn’t cross it first-time.

He won only four out of his seven ground duels as especially in the second half, it looked like Coventry had an extra man on the pitch.

Add to that him not being comfortable playing out from the back, he stuck out like a sore thumb on the odd occasion United had the courage to play the ball.

Overall, it was a display that showed that United have settled for mediocrity, and they can’t even use that right.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka might have just sealed his fate as a United player after that if INEOS are serious about resetting the culture at Old Trafford.

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The right-back position could become an area of the pitch Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS address, especially in the event that Wan-Bissaka departs the club.

The Englishman’s contract is set to expire in 2025 after United triggered a one-year extension clause on his current terms.

Diogo Dalot has cemented his status as a nailed starter at right-back with his consistently impressive performances during a season in which the Red Devils have been underwhelming and very disappointing. In recent games, Erik ten Hag has had to deploy Wan-Bissaka at left-back, partly due to Dalot’s form and also due to the injuries suffered by Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Wan-Bissaka has been linked to a number of clubs both in England and abroad. West Ham and Crystal Palace are known admirers of the 26-year-old.

More recently, a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Inter Milan also like Wan-Bissaka and would be open to adding him to their ranks in a swap deal involving long-term Ten Hag target – Denzel Dumfries – heading the other way.

It’s understood that Wan-Bissaka is open to the transfer and trying a different experience in Italy.

In addition to Dumfries, United have also been mentioned to be in for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpgong.

According to journalist Rudi Galetti, the 20-time English champions have now added Kounde to their three-man list of right-backs they could sign.

This is not the first time Ten Hag’s side have explored a swoop for Kounde. United rivalled Chelsea for his services a few years ago but he instead ended up joining Barcelona from Sevilla.

It has not been all rosy for the Frenchman at Camp Nou and it’s thought that the Blaugrana, whose financial troubles have been well-documented, would entertain offers for him.

Galetti states that Kounde’s versatility is “appreciated a lot” by Old Trafford bosses.

#ManUTD, assessments ongoing on the possible Wan Bissaka's replacement.

As told, #Frimpong – also followed by Bayern and RMFC – is one of the preferred names.

#Kounde – appreciated a lot for his versatility to play as a CB – and #Dumfries also on the #MUFC's list. pic.twitter.com/Qa5YYPyugk

— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) April 17, 2024

As well as playing as a full-back, the 25-year-old can also be deployed as a centre-back.

So far this season for Barca, Kounde has managed 41 goals across all competitions. He has helped his side keep 16 clean sheets in that period.

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With good reason too, since that didn’t work out for any party involved.

However, six years on from that deal, a swap opportunity could finally present itself to United and it is one they might take up.

Italian outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport reports that Inter Milan are interested in Aaron Wan-Bissaka as a potential cut-price option to replace Denzel Dumfries.

Dumfries, of course, has long been admired by Erik ten Hag and Manchester United as an attacking option on the right.

Wan-Bissaka’s contract expires in 2025 so Inter would have the upper hand in negotiations, with the report stating that they won’t spend anything above €15 million.

It might make sense then for United to bring Dumfries to the table as the Dutchman also looks likely to leave Italy this summer.

Dumfries’ contract also expires in 2025 so a straight swap might make sense for both sides.

The report states that Wan-Bissaka wants to try another experience in Italy while United want a more attacking right-back option so a swap deal will satisfy both parties.

Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in his services but Inter are holding out for a sum of around €30 million which they will have to come down from since they only want to pay €15 million for Wan-Bissaka.

For United, it is an opportunity to rid themselves of a player who clearly doesn’t suit Ten Hag’s system and has become somewhat injury-prone.

They will also get a player more suited to their style of play in Dumfries while Wan-Bissaka will also fancy his chances of a career resurgence in Italy as so many Premier League players have done previously.

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Manchester United and last minute goals are built into the fabric of the club.

The 1990s and 2000s became synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson prowling on the sidelines, examining his watch for the umpteenth time and opposition defenders quivering in their boots as the Red Devils threw the proverbial kitchen sick at them to snatch last-gasp winners.

United are still capable of this, just ask Brentford, Wolves and Liverpool.

However, moments of the sublime have been regularly followed up by last-gasp lunacy for Erik ten Hag’s side this season.

The Old Trafford outfit recently made unwanted history as they managed to convert a 99th minute lead into a loss against a much-maligned Chelsea side. With the defeat, they became the first team to manage to lose a game after leading so deep into additional time.

As a result, The Athletic have taken a deep dive into the reasons behind such late collapses.

“Mohamed Salah’s equaliser in the 84th minute on Sunday — just three days after Erik ten Hag’s side imploded in injury time at Stamford Bridge — was only the 12th-latest strike that United have conceded this season. Two have gone in past the 100-minute mark, while their tally of eight goals against in second-half stoppage time has already doubled their previous Premier League worst”.

Ten Hag’s side’s “inability to stem the tide towards the end of games is draining confidence and compromising points”.

The Athletic have pinpointed two major concerns behind United’s inability to defend late on in matches. The first is that they “are pushing too hard during the latter stages” and the second is “that parts of the squad are being overwhelmed with the physical and mental demands of the end-to-end sequences that are produced”.

The sequence of play that led to Chelsea’s last second winner at Stamford Bridge eight days ago is put under the microscope. After giving away an unfortunate penalty in the 99th minute to let Chelsea equalise, United probably should have played out for the draw in the likely remaining two minutes of play.

However, this is not how Ten Hag goes about business. Instead, “straight from kick-off, six United players steam forward, including Dalot, who loses possession after driving with the ball.

Within just 12 seconds of kick-off, moments after the damaging psychological blow of conceding a 100th-minute equaliser, United are exposed again and face yet another full-tilt sprint down the pitch, with Harry Maguire temporarily facing a three-on-one”.

The sequence of play led to Carney Chukwuemeka hitting the post, but Cole Palmer’s late goal was scored from the subsequent corner, where “three United players are pointing to Palmer, while moments before, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has his hands on his knees and is panting for air”.

The team’s tiredness undoubtedly contributed to the players switching off, which is all that is needed to punish a team in the ferociously competitive Premier League.

The Athletic note that with the extra stoppage time being allocated this season – a 38% increase, United’s gung-ho approach and bravery can be praised on one hand, on the other, it could be seen as naive in a league where every team is supremely fit and chomping at the bit to punish you.

Poor decision making due to fatigue is one issue but Ten Hag’s tactical commitment to counter-attacks is another massively damaging issue.

“Both seasons under the Dutchman have seen an increase in the average number of direct attacks conceded per game, while the latest 10-game average has rocketed after leaky displays against Brentford, Liverpool and Fulham”.

The team’s commitment to transition can bear significant fruit, like Amad Diallo’s late winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup, but it can also lead to punishing blows. They allow more opportunities against an exposed defence and this results in regular chaos in the defensive structure.

What’s more, this is a particular problem for the Red Devils in second half stoppage time.

“No team has conceded more than [United´s] 11 Opta-defined ‘fast breaks’ in second-half stoppage time this season, while only Fulham have faced more shots against them after the 90-minute mark”.

This issue has been present all season, as in September’s 1-3 loss to Brighton. United were caught out in the added time as they pressed the Seagulls but the gaps in the defensive and midfield lines grew and grew, which allowed the opposition to almost score an embarrassing fourth. Luckily, Ansu Fati failed to convert from 10 yards out.

Casemiro is probably the biggest victim of this playing style. The midfield man has been poor by his own admission with his form “keeping him up at night” but he is also massively hurt by the style implemented by Ten Hag, as pointed out by the Brazilian media.

United’s style of play can be characterised as “players with waning physical attributes finding themselves in difficult one-vs-one scenarios, with the team unable to control these match-ups amid the chaos”.

This was again brutally exposed in Fulham’s late winner at Old Trafford in February when Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen were left to face an onslaught of four Fulham players, including the blistering Adama Traore, who was fresh off the bench. Not surprisingly, this led to Alex Iwobi scoring a 95th minute winner.

Nottingham Forest’s late goal in the final game of 2023 also was a prime example of the chasm that frequently crops up between the middle and back lines.

The outlet’s analysis concludes by saying there is “a paradox of identity” at United. Playing “the United way” is important, but “there comes a point — perhaps conceding in the 99th, 100th and 101st minute in the space of four days — where that trade-off might need to be considered”.

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Manchester United’s 2023-2024 season is in danger of going down as one of the worst in the club’s recent history.

The Red Devils lie in sixth place in the league, 11 points off teams in the Champions League places and are in serious danger of being overtaken by both West Ham and Newcastle. An eighth place finish would represent the club’s worst league finish since 1990, when they finished 13th but did manage to win the FA Cup – a potentially startling symmetry to this season.

The United defence has been incredibly suspect all season as they shipped 15 goals in just six Champions League group games, crashing out in last place in December. What’s more, no team in Europe’s top five leagues has faced more shots on goal than the Red Devils in 2024.

Of course, the players and manager need to have a long hard look in the mirror when this season is done and dusted, but there is another major reason behind this season’s pathetic displays – a scarcely believable list of absentees through injury, especially in defence.

Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have missed the majority of the season and they are arguably the club’s two most valuable defenders, not just in defending but also in Erik ten Hag’s build up play.

In fact, all the backline has been missing at some point during the season, resulting in an incredible 31 different back four combinations during the season. This was highlighted by Willy Kambwala and Harry Maguire being the only two fit centre backs to play in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Man Utd have started 31 different back lines in 43 matches this season:

1.AWB, Varane, Martinez, Shaw
2.AWB, Varane, Martinez, Dalot
3.AWB, Lindelof, Martinez, Dalot
4.Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Reguilon
5.AWB, Lindelof, Martinez, Reguilon
6.Dalot, Lindelof, Evans, Reguilon… pic.twitter.com/UTppmMPR8S

— Alice Abrahams (@AliceTalksFooty) April 7, 2024

When analysing the names, it can be seen that the only real consistent in the defensive line as of late has been Diogo Dalot and perhaps it is no surprise that he has been enjoying arguably the best season of his career, highlighted by his fine display versus Liverpool at the weekend.

The Portuguese international has played 26 times in 31 Premier League matches. However, nobody else has been able to play for any considerable stretch of time in the first eleven.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has played 13 times, Raphael Varane 16, Victor Lindelof 11, Harry Maguire 14 times and even the 36 year old Jonny Evans has started nine times and been subbed on many more. This means that many players have had decent game time, but really no central defender has been able to consolidate their place in the team, never mind having two continuously available to form an actual partnership.

The left back is the most ridiculous situation where Tyrell Malacia has not played all season and Shaw has only played 11 matches with a few of them being in the centre back position.

In total, there have been six different left backs used this season with only two of them being recognised left full backs, Shaw and Sergio Reguilon. Sofyan Amrabat, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot have all had to deputise in the unfamiliar role.

Ten Hag perplexed fans once again during his post-match press conference when he claimed his side played very well despite dominated in terms of shots and possession against their arch-rivals.

However, one comment he made did make a whole lot of sense. Without being able to field anything close to a consistent back four, it is normal that they players can’t build up routines or patterns to understand one another.

There is much talk about the pursuit of sporting directors and the upcoming transfer window but perhaps the most important piece of business INEOS carry out will be connected to the ongoing investigation of the massive failings of the current medical team employed at Old Trafford.

It is vital to not let any player or manager off the hook but at the same time it is worth considering, could any team actually be successful defensively under such ridiculous circumstances?

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