I'm asking this question too often these days: Does Erik ten Hag know?
This goes for tactics, substitutions, style of play and now his strongest XI.
We all have our ideas of what our preferences are when it comes to who we'd like to see start week in, week out for United but what you and I think is probably completely different to what our manager does.
I'm not sure how many of you play the prediction game on Man Utd's official app but in his two-and-a-bit seasons and 118 matches in charge of United, I've only managed to correctly predict his lineup on 4 occasions, if that many.
I've also found myself being able to predict the strongest XIs for our rivals whereas not so much with United.
This is perhaps something that the manager needs to figure out before his style of play. No point knowing how you want your team to play but have no idea of your best lineup is.
So what is Erik ten Hag's strongest team?
This would be my preferred lineup for the rest of the season.
Despite bringing in five new players, one is injured and can't be used (Yoro), the other was signed too late for registration (Ugarte) and out of the other three, ten Hag has only started one of his new recruits in Mazraoui.
The Moroccan has been very good in his three games while Matthijs De Ligt has shown signs of how good he is and how he can make us better. Josh Zirkzee made an impression on his debut in which he scored the winner off the bench although he did struggle against Liverpool.
De Ligt was signed for £38m yet has started just once and has found himself behind both Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire. What was the point in signing him?
Zirkzee was brought in for £35m and as a backup to Rasmus Hojlund but he's only started once as well. The striker was behind Mason Mount - who played as a false 9 - before the midfielder picked up (another) injury. What was the point in bringing him in?
With Hojlund missing, Zirkzee would've been hoping to get more game time to perhaps secure his spot as starting striker. That is out the window now thanks to his limited minutes and Hojlund returning soon. I also don't think the manager has truly figured out a way of playing with a non-traditional striker like Zirkzee.
Luke Shaw should be the starting left-back when he's available because he makes such a difference down the left but when he's unavailable (which is 90% of the time), I would keep Dalot at LB and Mazraoui at RB.
Dalot has to start at RB despite Mazraoui's quality and great start to the season but as Dalot was our player of the season last year and has been brilliant for a while, he deserves to be at the front of the queue. He also hasn't done too badly at stand-in left-back.
Manuel Ugarte has to come straight in for Casemiro. I don't think I need a reason why.
I believe the Uruguayan will allow more freedom to Kobbie Mainoo in particular whilst also being able to cover a lot of the space in our midfield. That ability he has to win the ball back is also paramount given the system the manager plays.
No point wasting time on bringing him in.
No Marcus Rashford because he has been pathetic for a long time. Alejandro Garnacho is our best left-winger while Amad is superb on the right. They have to be our starters.
Hojlund hasn't played this season due to injury but with how well he presses from the front, that could allow United to at least maintain that high press, which has come in for some high praise. Without Mount, the press up front has been very flat. Hojlund can pick this up again as Zirkzee isn't much of a 'pressing monster.'
The Dane is also a striker that I feel suits us more because as I said, I don't think the manager has figured out a way to properly utilize his new false 9.
I find that this team is more balanced and more importantly, allows United and ten Hag to play the way he ultimately wants us to.
Do I think he will go with that side?
God no.
Not a chance.
This is the side I think he believes is his strongest.
Rashford will definitely start, I think we all know that. This means that Garnacho will have to go on the right or to the bench with Amad staying on that flank. Either way, one of our better wingers will not start and be replaced for one who is hindering the team more than helping it.
I'm not entirely sure that he will start Ugarte straight away and will rather slowly ease him into the side. ten Hag did a similar thing with Casemiro (funnily enough) when the Brazilian first came to United.
He was benched for Scott McTominay until eventually, Casemiro became a regular starter. We needed him in the side as soon as he joined because without him, we certainly lacked something in midfield.
It is the same with Ugarte.
I do however, think that he will go with that same back line as mine. I cannot say for sure though, that Maguire wouldn't start in some matches ahead of De Ligt.
In my opinion his team doesn't have that same balance with mine and the midfield won't be as strong without Ugarte.
What I would like to see is some consistency. Whether Erik ten Hag selects the team that I or you would like, if he sticks with the same lineup more often than not, then at least that is something.
As he cannot actually identify what his strongest lineup is, I'm not sure whether we will see a lot of improvement in the football, at least for the moment. I think we're still going to see what we've been seeing this season for a little while.
What do you think? What is your strongest United XI?
Background Image: Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake in Man Utd training | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)