Compatibility is an essential quality when selecting a team’s most effective front line; it is not necessarily the best players who should start in their favoured positions but rather the players who suit each other the best, playing in positions which optimise the team . It’s a principle which can make or break a club’s season – just ask Jürgen Klopp. And one which makes settling on Manchester United’s starting front four a complicated task, both now and in the future.

Erik Ten Hag has spoken of knowing the ‘profiles’ of potential transfer targets in the summer and it is this coalescence between profiles which will determine United’s fortunes next season. But the principle holds true for the present as well; striking the right balance between a disparate group of attackers will decide whether Manchester United end the season in a position of strength or weakness.

Marcus Rashford is the undoubted crown jewel of Old Trafford this year. Rejuvenated and reinvigorated, Rashford is a transformed figure from the despondent player who was accused of swearing at fans following a loss at home. 14 goals in 16 games after last night’s electric performance in Barcelona gave credence to Xavi’s assessment of the forward as one of the ‘most dangerous’ in Europe.

Rashford functions optimally as an inside forward stationed on the left-wing, enabling him to cut inside onto his right foot with deadly effect. This starting position allows him to either stay wide to pick up the ball from deep or make an incisive run inside the gap between opposing fullback and centre-back. When placed on the right-hand side his effectiveness is reduced as the same threat of cutting inside is diminished – Rashford appears to hate the right wing on and off the pitch. The left is seemingly the rightful home for Marcus Rashford.

Following close behind Rashford in terms of importance to United’s attack, however, is Bruno Fernandes. His ardent attitude, endless energy, and continual creativity make Fernandes an ideal attacking midfielder in a high-energy pressing style of football. The difference to the team is palpable in his absence. Bruno has even shown an ability to be relocated out-of-position in the pursuit of greater defensive security, as he did last night, without it negatively impacting his ability or application. The number ten position is evidently the place for Manchester United’s number eight however.

The right-hand side of the pitch belongs to Antony, despite early doubts. Signed for a fee which made the young Brazilian the 13^th most expensive player in history, he has had a near impossible expectation of performance to match. This strain has been compounded by Antony not necessarily matching the profile of player fans were expecting. A Brazilian winger signed for over £80 million suggests a devastatingly tricky forward who leaves defenders in the dirt with a combination of skill and speed. Antony, while technically gifted, fulfils more of a facilitator function. He presses intensely and intelligently while being extremely press-resistant himself; he tracks back to support his fullback constantly; he retains possession with quick and accurate use of the ball, helping his team to sustain attacks high up the pitch. They are not glamourous attributes, yet they are vital – particularly to a manager attempting to implement a style of football predicated on possession and pressing. Manchester United perform better as an attacking collective with Antony as the individual on the right-wing.

Which leaves the final starting berth of Erik Ten Hag’s front four – the centre forward. Anthony Martial has found a new lease of life under the Dutch manager who describes the forward as his ‘type’ of striker. Injuries have completely inhibited this renewed performance level however, with 22 games missed through a seemingly endless list of maladies. Wout Weghorst was signed in January to provide a viable alternative, but for a man-mountain he has been very short on quality. The choice between a constantly unavailable Martial or a below-the-standard Weghorst represents a rock and a hard place for Ten Hag. It’s a choice which validates the report that United have made the pursuit of a new number nine their priority in the summer.

Yet the summer remains many difficult matches away. And it’s a window which will be greatly enhanced by the securing of Champions League qualification – a pursuit undoubtedly made easier by selecting the most compatible front four, not necessarily the best. Which is why it is essential Ten Hag stops playing his best performing attacker in his favoured position, as it suits the team more. Rashford has demonstrated a goal scoring threat this season wherever he finds himself on the pitch; indeed his emphatic equaliser yesterday came from his unfavoured right-hand side. Death, taxes and a goal by Marcus Rashford are life’s certainties at present.

With Martial certainly an uncertainty and Weghorst’s suitability to this level uncertain, Rashford must therefore be played as centre-forward. The recent re-introduction of Jadon Sancho, with some promising moments, and the exciting emergence of Alejandro Garnacho, offer viable options on the left-wing in a way which does not exist up front. Sancho as a starter with Garnacho as an option from the bench against tired legs seems a natural fit. United’s other attackers will also benefit from Rashford’s relocation. His pace will force defenders to drop a little deeper to compensate and deny space, thus creating room for Fernandes and Antony to operate in between defence and midfield in the corridor of uncertainty.

It’s a tactical shift which may not put Marcus Rashford in his best position, but will ultimately produce the best performance level for the attack as a collective. Introducing Marvel’s new fantastic four…

Antony – Fernandes – Sancho

                   Rashford

Darragh Fox