Manchester United's unsettled backline behind poor defensive record

Manchester United's unsettled backline is to blame for their poor defensive record, Phil Thompson told The Debate.

United have used 13 different players in defence this season - including midfielders Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera and Scott McTominay - while conceding 26 goals in the process, more than the whole of the 2006/07 or 2007/08 league seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson.

United's defensive woes this season have left them 16 points off league leaders Liverpool from as many games, and they visit Anfield live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday, as rank outsiders.

Phil Thompson told The Debate that Jose Mourinho's indecisiveness in his own backline has cost United.

He said: "Me being a defender will look at that and wonder why and how and where - I think it's the number of players he has used in a back three, a back three or a back five.

"The chopping and changing, players getting injured, Jones who seems to come in and go out because he gets injured, there's so many permutations."

Fellow guest Ray Parlour, who played in front of Arsenal's back four of Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon during the late 1990s, added that consistency was key for forming a strong defensive unit at any club.

He said: "It's the one position where you've got to have a unit, the back four. You play the same personnel, I played in that great Arsenal side that had a famous back four, and it was never changed. If you were fit, you'd be playing.

"I know you have to change players in certain areas if they get injured, but if everyone's fit you say these are my four, or five, and we'll stick with these."

The pair both agreed Mourinho would keep up his tactic of frustrating Liverpool at Anfield despite the visitors' dire need for points, with Thompson believing he would happily settle for a point against the league leaders.

He said: "What does he do? I was looking from the stands at last year's game, and at times it was a back six. They were marking Salah and Mane and if they went inside, they were following them, other players covered in behind, Rashford would have to go in, it was an amazing thing to see it from the stands.

"They got the result they would have loved, and went away from Anfield with everyone calling it a Jose masterstroke.

"They'd bite your hand off for a draw at Anfield, and Jose likes nothing better than frustrating, biding his time and if they can, take the game to the opposition with set-pieces and pace."

Credit: Skysports.com