José Mourinho's 4-3-3 formation: Stick or twist?

After Manchester United’s rollercoaster 3-2 win against Crystal Palace on Monday evening in the Premier League, José Mourinho will be wondering what on earth went wrong in the first 50 minutes of the game that led to his team trailing by two goals to nil.

There have been many opinions gathered and spoken out loud regarding Manchester United’s formations, but it is clear and evident that they are a lot more fluid and cutting-edge in a 4-3-3, rather than the boss’ favored 4-2-3-1.

Although the first half against Roy Hodgson’s men were immensely infuriating for the Red Devils in their 4-3-3, Mourinho’s tactical astuteness paid off - bringing on Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Juan Mata early on in the second half provided the added intensity that was lacking from their game.

The three-man midfield, rather than just two, complements Paul Pogba’s playing style perfectly. It emulates the role the Frenchman was given at Juventus, where he was allowed to roam more and had the licence to get forward, as he had Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal covering alongside him.

While Mourinho expects every player to put in a defensive shift, Pogba does look more relaxed and comfortable with two other midfielders around him. Leaving him isolated in a two man midfield, where they can become overrun quite easily agains teams who are compact and have that extra man in the middle of the park, doesn't sit well with Pogba's natural game.

One of the main problems in this current United side is their lack of excellent full backs. There is no getting away from the fact that Antonio Valencia has been quite excellent since transitioning from a right winger into a right back. But now that the Ecuadorian is 32, the Red Devils could do with some new competition to increase the standards.

This can also to be said of Ashley Young, who is the same age as Valencia. There have been times this season when the England international has put in a shift and contributed positively, but whether he should be starting for a club of Manchester United’s stature in 2018 is still hotly debated.

Luke Shaw impressed when he came on in the second half against the Eagles

Mourinho might have praised Luke Shaw a number of times in the press in recent months, but, for reasons unknown, the Portuguese boss is reluctant to start the 22 year old at left back. This has been the case even after Shaw has turned in good performances when called for.

When Mourinho threw in Shaw for Young at left back and asked Lingard to cover for Valencia at right back, Manchester United’s shape, intensity, tempo, and creativity increased tenfold. They actually looked a coherent team, and a threatening one at that. This was when the game shifted in United’s favour.

If Manchester United, who sit second in the Premier League, have learnt anything from this impressive, but unnecessary, comeback against Palace, it is the fact that they need threats from all over the pitch - most noticeably from their full back positions.

Shaw should be allowed a longer run in the first-team to show what he’s capable of, but more than that, they desperately need a player who can put pressure on Valencia for his starting position.

Matteo Darmain has had a miserable time since swapping Turin for Manchester after the 2014 World Cup, and looks set to be heading back to Italy this summer.

Manchester United have important games approaching - against Liverpool in the league and the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Sevilla. Neither will be straightforward and there will be plenty of ever-changing emotions throughout the game.

If Mourinho is to garner the best results possible, he simply must stick with the 4-3-3, and employ his best players in the best positions possible.