The debate surrounding Manchester United and the way they defend was best summed up in the post-match press conferences following Everton's 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday.
“I've never had so many opportunities here,” said Everton manager Sean Dyche, insisting his team didn't deserve to be on the end of an “unfair” result, before Erik ten Hag replied: “They're low.” quality opportunities.” It was the manager's speech: “let's agree to disagree.”
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Ten Hag wanted to focus on a win to ease the pressure on his job after back-to-back Premier League defeats to Fulham and Manchester City. Dyche, meanwhile, looked for positives after an 11th straight league game without a win, pointing to Everton's 23 shots as proof they had “done everything right” except finding the net.
Everton doesn't score goals (they are the third worst scorers in the division), but United generally concedes a lot of shots. So far this season, they have conceded 468 shots on goal, a figure only bettered by bottom side Sheffield United, who have conceded 503. It has been a theme since the start of the campaign, when Wolves took 23 shots at Old Trafford in opening weekend.
In United's last 10 league games, their opponents have taken a combined 185 shots; For comparison, Arsenal and Manchester City have faced just 232 in the Premier League. all season. Even Newport County, 13th in League Two, managed 17 shots in their FA Cup tie against United in January.
Last season, Ten Hag's first at the club, United faced 482 shots in 38 Premier League games at a rate of 12.6 per game. This season, they have jumped to 16.7 shots per game, and in 10 games (against Manchester City twice, Everton twice, Wolves, Newcastle, Liverpool West Ham, Aston Villa and Luton) they have faced 20 or more.
Ten Hag has consistently said that part of the problem is injuries, particularly among his team's defenders. He's had to chop and change his back four a lot more than last season, affecting what he calls defensive “routines,” which become second nature for defensemen who play together regularly.
United have used 11 different centre-back combinations in their 39 games this season, with Jonny Evans and Raphaël Varane (seven times) being the most frequent. It's in stark contrast to last season, when Ten Hag settled on Varane and Lisandro Martínez as his preferred pairing, using them together 22 times. Martínez has barely played this season due to injury, starting only five games alongside Varane.
The left side of the defense has been a particular problem due to injuries to regular left backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. Shaw has been limited to just 15 appearances, while Malacia is likely to miss the entire campaign; Instead, Ten Hag has been forced to use Victor Lindelöf, Sofyan Amrabat and Diogo Dalot out of position. Sergio Reguilón, loaned from Tottenham as emergency cover last summer, was allowed to leave in January. (Ten Hag was frustrated by the situation at the time of Reguilón's departure. “In December I had the internal conversations, with the doctors and with the performance). [staff]and they assured me that [Shaw and Malacia] “both will be fit in January.”)
The situation won't improve anytime soon either, as Shaw is unlikely to return until May.
Ten Hag accepts that United have not defended as well as they did last season when they recorded 17 clean sheets in the Premier League (three more than any other team), but their defensive numbers are relatively similar. United have conceded 39 goals in 28 league games this season, compared to 37 goals at the same stage last season.
The Manchester United manager will also argue that it does not matter how many shots opposing teams take, as long as the ball does not end up in the net. United's 3-0 home win over West Ham in February was relatively comfortable despite the visitors scoring 23 shots, while Everton scored 24 at Goodison Park in November and still lost 3-0.
The way Ten Hag has prepared his team defensively for much of the season (determined in part by the players he had available) has invited opponents to take shots at goal. After the win over Everton on Saturday, Ten Hag said he had players “who are comfortable defending low” and that is why he took a different approach to Manchester City and Arsenal, who like to defend high up the pitch.
Teams that play with a high defensive line need pace at the back, and Ten Hag has spent most of the season playing with Evans, Lindelof and Harry Maguire. Evans has been one of United's best players in an otherwise disappointing campaign, but at 36, speed is not his best asset.
Ten Hag's approach is unlikely to change between now and the end of the season, which means facing more shots on goal while also trying to restrict teams to difficult opportunities, making many defenders in and around the penalty area penalties get in the way. United's outfield players have blocked 145 shots this season, more than any other team, while only four goalkeepers have made more saves than André Onana's 104. Onana is slowly looking more at home after a difficult start to his United career.
The question, however, is whether it is sustainable to allow opponents to shoot so frequently.
Liverpool arrive at Old Trafford to play the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday. Stream LIVE, 11:20 a.m. ET, ESPN+ (US only) — having taken more shots in the Premier League than any other team this season, and only once failed to score, that was against United at Anfield in December. That day, Liverpool took 34 shots without scoring, and afterwards Jurgen Klopp praised United's “clean and passionate” defense.
Ten Hag will need more of the same this weekend to keep them out again.
