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Five things we’ve learnt from United vs Leicester

Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Premier-League (2)After an insipid performance against Cambridge, Manchester United returned to winning ways, dispatching Leicester 3-1 as they banished the demons of the 5-3 capitulation earlier in the season.

Louis Van Gaal had demanded more goals from his players and he was pleased with what he saw, as United scored three and could have probably had one or two more, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Here’s five things we’ve learnt from Saturday.

1) No Blind alley

Of all United’s summer signings, Daley Blind was the one the press spoke about the least. However, is arrival was also the most important as far as United are concerned, for the Dutchman currently has a bigger influence than Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao.

With Michael Carrick out for four weeks, Blind was deployed at the bottom of the diamond against Leicester and kept United ticking over in magnificent fashion, calmly recycling the ball and expertly mopping up in front of the back four. It speaks volume for the Dutchman’s performance that Carrick’s absence wasn’t felt at all, for the 33-year-old has been a crucial figure in United’s engine room for almost a decade now.

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Not only did Blind ensured United kept possession, he also showed considerable attacking intent, something Carrick rarely does, and one his forward passes led to Robin Van Persie’s goal. In the first 45 minutes alone, Blind completed 42 out of 45 passes, with six successful passes out of the eight he attempted in the final third of the pitch and his influence grew as the game wore on.

A defensive midfielder capable of being a factor in the final third of the pitch, United have found the midfielder they had been crying for, at long last.

2) Four at the back is the way forward

Speaking after the game, Van Gaal was critical of the way his team played in the second 45 minutes, when they adopted a “safety first” approach.

“In the second half, I want to kill the game but I have to admit my players did too much to kill the game. We have played more balls backwards and wide than forwards. you have to play forward without risk,” he said.

It was pleasing to hear Van Gaal was disappointed with the lack of initiative in the second half, given the insistence with whom he had reiterated a need for balance had began to sound annoying with some fans. With the three-man defence seemingly in the bin for the foreseeable future, United looked a lot more effective going forward and it couldn’t have been otherwise, considering Wayne Rooney, Di Maria, Adnan Januzaj, Falcao and Van Persie all started.

The diamond formation proved to be solid at both ends of the pitch and showed a good degree of flexibility too, with Januzaj and Di Maria at times turning into orthodox wingers as they sought room out wide, opening  space through the middle for Falcao and Van Persie.

3) Rojo continues to improve

United’s defensive frailties have been all too well documented and all too well exploited this season but there might be light at the end of the tunnel in the shape of Marcos Rojo. Such was United’s quest for a world class centre-back than the Argentine was dismissed as a cheap replacement, more plan D or E than B.

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After a shaky start to his United career, Rojo has looked increasingly assured since returning from injury and he’s beginning to look like the sort of no-nonsense defender United needed.

Rojo had looked comfortable against Bobby Zamora away at QPR two weeks ago and refused to be bullied by Leonardo Ulloa on Saturday, while making his defensive partner look better than they’re. And when playing alongside the likes of Phil Jones, that isn’t an easy thing to do.

4) Service = goals

By their own admissions, Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao haven’t enjoyed their best season so far but yesterday was a timely reminder of how deadly they can be if adequately supported.

Their movement has never been a problem this season, for while they’re similar players they do not tend to run into each other, but the lack of service – exacerbated by the 3-5-2 system – had stifled United’s attacking threat. With Van Gaal reverting to a more dynamic system, Van Persie and Falcao were much better supported and it was no coincidence that their names can be found on the scoresheet.

Van Persie has now scored nine in 21 league games this season, while Falcao has scored four times in his last seven starts and has been involved in nine goals in his last nine starts.

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5) The Rooney conundrum

Having been on an excellent run of form over November and December, Wayne Rooney has now gone six games without scoring and looked completely off the pace on Saturday.

The United captain was excellent when deployed in his natural role and, at times, looked effective when as utilised as attacking midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation but was a passenger against Leicester, exiled on the right of United’s diamond-shaped midfield. It is hardly surprising that Rooney’s goalscoring vein has dried up since being deployed much deeper, though if Van Gaal doesn’t want to play him in his preferred role than he shouldn’t be starting at all.

Playing Rooney up front would mean one between Van Persie and Falcao would have to miss out, though the United captain could also be deployed as tip of the diamond with Di Maria out on the right, as it was occasionally the case on Saturday. However, asking Rooney to do a job in midfield, while Ander Herrera sits on the bench is hard to justify.

Dan