Jamie Redknapp thinks Manchester United's new formation is leading to the struggles of one player under Ralf Rangnick.
United's have moved to a 4-2-2-2 system since Rangnick came in as interim manager until the end of the season, replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in December.
Whilst there may have been some initial success, the team have failed to win two of their previous three games, drawing with Newcastle United and then losing to Wolves on Monday, in two awful performances.
Bruno Fernandes was dropped from the starting lineup for Wolves, after missing the Burnley win through suspension, but Redknapp thinks that Jadon Sancho is most at risk from the formation.
"The way Rangnick set up his team, they were never going to get hold of the ball. It was impossible. They haven’t got the players to do that," the former Liverpool midfielder told Sky Sports.
"You cannot ask Sancho and Greenwood to play the way he played at RB Leipzig… They’ve got to be able to run out to the wide men, then back inside. They have to be so fit, so strong and also comfortable on the ball.
"Greenwood and Sancho are not comfortable at the moment. Sancho looks like he can’t raise a gallop at the moment.
"One thing I worry about him, he looks like he can’t run past anyone. He looks like he hasn’t got that yard of pace. United wingers, if you’re going to be one, you’ve got to be able to run with the ball. That is a major problem with that system."
United tried to sign Sancho in summer 2020 but failed to do so, after failing to meet Borussia Dortmund's valuation of the forward, but finally brought him in last summer.
There were huge expectations on him from the off and he failed to live up to them early on at his time at Old Trafford, with no goals or assists early on.
He got his first goal in the Champions League game against Villarreal and followed it up five days later with his first goal in the Premier League goal, against Chelsea.
His form has again taken a bit of a dip, leading to Thierry Henry to also criticise the England international for not taking on more players.
The 21-year-old will be hoping that he can find his Dortmund form in the Premier League at some point soon.
Topics: Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jadon Sancho, Premier League, Jamie Redknapp
Ryan Sidle