Man Utd are back in action when they travel to face FC Barcelona in the Europa League tomorrow evening.
If Manchester United wanted a true test of the progress they have made this season, then they will get it over the next week when they face Barcelona twice in their Europa League play-off tie.
United have shown undeniable improvement since Erik ten Hag arrived, but it still feels like there is work to be done before they are back amongst Europe’s elite. A two-legged encounter against La Liga’s leaders provides another opportunity to do just that, and no matter the outcome, it will shed further light on where United currently are in their rebuild.
In the long run, Ten Hag wants his side to go toe-to-toe with the very best teams and beat them at their own game, but in this first season of transition, he has found that the best way to get positive results has been by embracing their underdog status.
The first two results of the season provided a rethink and a reality check for the United manager, and in the third, his side played on the counter-attack as they picked off Liverpool to secure a win that laid the foundations for their revival.
United have got better at smothering smaller sides into submission and winning ugly on a more regular basis, but in games against the top teams, they have largely reverted to the same counter-attacking approach that sees them sit back and hurt teams on the break.
It is this tactical set-up that will be key for United against Barcelona, with their win over Man City a month ago providing the ideal blueprint to record another famous result.
Ten Hag learned plenty from his first derby humbling and approached the reverse encounter by adopting a more conservative approach focused on keeping things tight defensively rather than trying to play expansively.
He avoided the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trait of switching to a back-three, but still moved Luke Shaw into an auxiliary centre-back role for the match, with Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka selected at full-back.
There was a change in midfield with the inclusion of the industrious Fred to help with their pressing approach alongside Casemiro and Christian Eriksen who were deployed in the attacking midfield berth.
That deep-lying duo could be adopted again tomorrow night with Marcel Sabitzer suspended, and Bruno Fernandes will most likely come into the other midfield role.
This is a particularly important battle given the absence of Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets, who is the figurehead of their midfield set-up and brings priceless experience to their side.
Up front, the focus will have to be on speed and flexibility, with United’s movement in the final third crucial to their overall approach on the night.
Ten Hag believes United play their best football when Anthony Martial is on the pitch, and they will need either him or Marcus Rashford to lead the line, given their mobility through the middle.
There will be similar demands from the wide men too, with Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho both capable of tormenting the Barcelona defence with their deft dexterity.
On what could be a night of few opportunities for United, they need to make sure they pick three forwards who are clinical enough to make them count when they come their way.
It will certainly be a difficult task, but United have already proven they have what it takes to beat the very best this season, and they have the blueprint to do it again.
