In our tactical preview of the Manchester derby, we look at how Erik ten Hag could set up his team with a fluid structure to better defend against the City threat while retaining United’s preferred attacking form.
But there is another trick to be found in the Dutchman’s past that he may revisit in a bid to outplay Pep Guardiola.
During his time at FC Utrecht, Ten Hag often faced opponents in a possession-heavy 4-3-3 system.
They might not all have the quality and intense positional play elements of Guardiola’s City, but with Utrecht often underdogs against the top Eredivisie sides, Ten Hag developed a solution for them.
Typically, teams building short from a 4-3-3 will look to play from their goalkeeper to their central defenders, who will then have short options wide and central, through the full-backs and pivot.
In these situations, Ten Hag has often set his team up to press in a 4-4-2 diamond.
The obvious benefit of having a player in position number ten, directly opposite the 4-3-3 pivot player, limits the opposition’s abilities to build shorts down the middle.
It also congests the midfield further, with none of the eight being able to get in and offer the central defenders a passing option without being tracked by their direct markers.
The most interesting setting of the diamond shape is the angle at which the forwards pressure the opposition’s central defenders.
Instead of directly closing or pressing ‘in to out’, they press ‘out to in’.
By doing so, forwards can put direct pressure on central defenders while blocking passing lanes to the wings.
It’s a high-energy approach that demands concentration, but when successful it can result in the opposition struggling to create more than just a heavy possession at the back.
While the tools available to Ten Hag may still be better suited to the fluid counter setup outlined in our tactical preview above, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if Ten Hag reverts to an old trick. 
United Matchday Magazine: The best pre-match experienceThe Manchester derby. Ten Hag’s men are ready. this is huge
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