Manchester United fans were left baffled by Erik ten Hag’s decision to start Noussair Mazraoui as a replacement for the suspended captain. Bruno Fernandes against Fenerbahce.
Fernandes was serving a one-match ban for his second-match red card against Porto, with a lack of other midfield options due to injuries to Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Toby Collyer who leading Ten Hag to get creative with their selection.
Mazraoui is a natural right back. But Ten Hag opted to push starter Diogo Dalot into that side, recruiting Victor Lindelof in the center alongside Matthijs de Ligt and using stand-in skipper Lisandro Martinez at left-back.
With Manuel Ugarte and Christian Eriksen occupying the central midfielder roles, Casemiro on the bench and Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho flanking lone striker Joshua Zirkzee surprisingly let Mazraoui slot in as united’s ‘number 10’.
“At Ajax I played there…”
Erik ten Hag explains why Noussair Mazraoui starts at number 10 🗣️
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“I know him from before,” Ten Hag reasoned when asked TNT sports before the start.
“At Ajax, I sometimes played him there. Also, as a full-back in our system, he plays in the middle spaces, so he is able to do that job.”
Beyond whether that meant Mazraoui was the most advanced midfielder, Ten Hag clarified that would be the case, but also spoke about the flexibility of the different options.
“Even as a winger, he is able to get there. He can apply good pressure,” explained the Dutchman. “Then we can see during the game what is needed and we can go with him, maybe in another position, and if it is necessary to continue playing more offensively, or a more offensive player in that position. And a more defensive midfield is also possible for carrying Casemiro on”.
