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Take a Gamble on the FA Cup Final — Wayne Rooney to Ten Hag

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Take a Gamble on the FA Cup Final -- Wayne Rooney to Ten Hag

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has offered tactical advice to Ajax manager Erik ten Hag ahead of their upcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City. Rooney suggests that ten Hag should take a bold approach with his team selection to counter City’s dominance and disrupt their treble aspirations.

The highly-anticipated final between the two rivals is scheduled to take place at Wembley on Saturday, June 3. With Manchester City having secured the Premier League title with three games to spare, they now aim to complete a historic treble by triumphing in the FA Cup and the Champions League, where they face Inter Milan.

Rooney, writing in his column for The Times, proposes that ten Hag employs a 4-4-2 formation, aiming to surprise the opposition and create confusion among City’s players.

“My strategy would be to go the other way and ask City to do something different,” Rooney suggests.

He recommends setting up Manchester United with a 4-4-2 formation, featuring Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as the strike partnership. Rooney suggests a solid midfield line behind them, comprising players such as Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, and Fred. The intention is to maintain a compact defensive structure and minimize the distances between the eight defending players.

Rooney emphasizes the effectiveness of a well-organized defensive block, stating that it becomes challenging for the opposition to break down. He highlights United’s successful encounters against City in recent years when they relied on counterattacks, often led by Rashford and Martial.

While acknowledging the risks involved, Rooney believes it is crucial to take the initiative against City and force them out of their comfort zone. By doing so, he believes that United can pose difficult questions to their opponents and potentially unsettle their game plan.

Take a Gamble on the FA Cup Final -- Wayne Rooney to Ten Hag

Referring to a tactic employed by Jose Mourinho during his first spell as Chelsea manager, Rooney suggests that United could exploit counterattacking opportunities with Rashford and Martial, leaving them higher up the pitch while defending with eight players.

Rooney concludes by saying, “That would ask City different questions: should John Stones still come into the midfield or would it leave that side of the pitch open for Rashford to run into? Should Kyle Walker go high or would this open up space?”

As the FA Cup final approaches, it remains to be seen whether Erik ten Hag will heed Rooney’s advice and implement a strategic approach aimed at unsettling Manchester City’s formidable side.

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