Wayne Rooney left baffled by one Erik ten Hag trend at Manchester United, ‘you never see top teams’ doing the same

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Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has been left truly baffled by something he keeps seeing from boss Erik ten Hag.

The international break continues and Erik ten Hag appears to have managed to cling on to his Manchester United job.

Ten Hag headed into this period under huge pressure after just two wins in seven Premier League games.

United are struggling for goals with just five in those seven games and are winless after two Europa League games.

Ineos discussed Ten Hag’s future this week but with no decision confirmed, fans are assuming that he is staying put.

The Dutchman seems to be in the last chance saloon though and desperately needs results quickly to end the speculation over his future.

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Wayne Rooney on strange Erik ten Hag decisions

Ineos chose to back Ten hag rather than sack him over the summer and the results so far just aren’t good enough.

Yes, Ten Hag is trying to knit new signings and young players together but United still look far too disjointed.

Some of Ten Hag’s decisions have been questioned and Wayne Rooney has been left baffled by one recent trend.

Ten Hag bizarrely likes to change his centre backs during games, regularly substituting his defenders.

United have made substitutions at centre back in five out of seven Premier League games this season – and not always because of injury.

United legend Rooney has now told Stick to Football that he is baffled by that trend, highlighting that the top teams never substitute their centre backs.

Rooney noted that this happens ‘on a regular basis’ under Ten Hag and called the decision to substitute Marcus Rashford against Porto as ‘absolutely crazy’.

“Some of the changes he’s making… you never see top teams changing their centre backs during a game, or the back four,” said Rooney.

“That happens on a regular basis [under Ten Hag] and the Rashford one… it’s the best I’ve seen Rashford play for a long time, against Porto and to take him off and say ‘we’ve got another game at the weekend’… I think it’s absolutely crazy,” he added.

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Does Ten Hag know his best centre back pairing?

We are now into October and there have to be questions over whether Ten Hag knows his best centre back pairing.

Matthijs de Ligt has been brought in for huge money but he struggled alongside Lisandro Martinez at Porto.

Martinez’s form this season has been a concern and Harry Maguire has dipped in an out of the team this season.

AC Milan target Victor Lindelof has largely been overlooked and big summer signing Leny Yoro is still out injured.

We can’t forget about Jonny Evans either.

The veteran centre back was United’s Man of the Match against Aston Villa but isn’t the long-term answer at the back.

United need to find a settled pairing and stick with it rather than chop and change so regularly, with no solid connections being built up as things stand.