Sheffield United have been proving the doubters wrong all season long and ended 2019 well clear of the relegation zone with an unimaginable European adventure potentially on the horizon. But they ended the decade with defeat the 2010’s most successful Premier League club and the begin the next with the side who could yet dominate this decade, Liverpool. To avoid consecutive losses for the first time this season Chris Wilder should tweak his tactics ever so slightly.
Liverpool have arguably the best front three and wing back pairings in Europe and stopping them from scoring in neigh on impossible. However, their midfield trio is highly industrious, but the Blades can overcome it by dropping an extra man into midfield or deploying David McGolrick even deeper.
Usually, Wilder opts for a five-man defence, without advanced wing-backs and a three-man midfield, but Liverpool could get the better of the Blades in the heart of the pitch if they don’t put an extra man in there. Dropping a striker and selecting an extra midfielder such as Muhamed Besic or Luke Freeman to go alongside Oliver Norwood, John Fleck and John Lundstram would give the Blades an advantage in the centre and also possibly help them defend wide areas more effectively.
Wilder could keep his lines of five and three in defence and midfield respectively, but have an extra man drop in-between the two banks, as Wilfred Ndidi has done so effectively for Leicester City this season.
Alternatively, Wilder could opt for the more conventional 5-3-2 he has utilised for much of the season, but deploy McGoldrick in a much deeper role, just in front of the midfield trio. The Irish international has proven himself to be an incredibly disciplined and hardworking frontman and he could double up as an extra midfielder out of possession.
Either way, Wilder chooses to set up his side it is crucial that Sheffield United funnel Liverpool into the centre of the pitch, instead of letting their wide players have possession and pressing Liverpool against the touchline. The Premier League leaders have the best wide players in Europe, but the centre of the pitch is where they can be hurt, and that is crucial for Sheffield United to pull off a shock result.
