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Paul Merson Suggests Huge Tactical Change For Manchester United In FA Cup Final

Paul Merson Suggests Huge Tactical Change For Manchester United In FA Cup Final
Gary Connaughton
By Gary Connaughton
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Few people are giving Manchester United any chance of pulling off a shock result against Manchester City in Saturday's FA Cup final.

After all, Pep Guardiola's side will enter the game on the back of a remarkable run and are only two wins away from winning the treble. Erik ten Hag's side have had a good season, but it is clear they are still well behind their neighbours when it comes to the product on the pitch.

Of course, anything can happen on a one-off occasion. United will need to produce a huge performance and hope for City to have an off day, but stranger things have happened.

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If they are to pull off the shock, it will likely be on the back of a few tactical tweaks from their manager.

Paul Merson suggests odd tactic for Manchester United in FA Cup final

Paul Merson has suggested some moved Erik ten Hag should consider for the FA Cup final and it's fair to say that they are not something you are going to see suggested elsewhere.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Arsenal man said that Manchester United should start Jadon Sancho as a 'false nine' for the game and also play Marcus Rashford in an unfamiliar right wing role.

Manchester United have got to give City something different to think about. If they go with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho on the wings, that won't cause them any problems.

I'd play Sancho as a false nine. He's someone who can play in the middle, pick up the ball, turn and run. It also stops John Stones from coming into midfield.

If City do push Stones into there to pick up Sancho then Rashford and whoever is on the other wing can be making inside runs on the City defence - and that will cause them problems.

I'd also definitely play Rashford on the right rather than on the left up against Kyle Walker, who is City's best defender. He won't be as effective cutting inside from the right but you've got to change it up.

Guardiola always gets people thinking about Manchester City; managers must start getting City thinking about what they're going to do.

United will end up playing like Roma did in the Europa League final if they don't change it up - 11 men behind the ball, 35 yards out from their own goal. You don't want that to happen. They've got to take a chance and keep the wingers up the pitch.

These changes would be sizeable ones for Erik ten Hag. Sancho has played through the middle at times in his career, although he has only done so once this season. As for Rashford, he has usually operated from the left or as a central striker.

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While these moves are unlikely, it might take a more outside the box team selection for Manchester United to pull off the FA Cup final shock.

SEE ALSO: Erik Ten Hag Has Been Video Calling 20-Year-Old Man United Transfer Target

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