Manchester United lost to Manchester City over the weekend, which was not surprising.

A 3-1 loss to City was about what you’d expect from Manchester United, albeit Erik ten Hag’s side led at halftime.

Marcus Rashford’s stunning shot handed United the lead, and the game plan was to defend it while continuing to attack City on the counter.

There was no ‘plan B’. And this was highlighted especially after City took the lead. However, this was obvious even before the game began.

Manchester United’s bench is not strong enough.

Manchester United put up the best possible starting lineup at The Etihad Stadium using the players who were available. Many high-profile players were missing.

Major investments include Harry Maguire (£80 million), Rasmus Hojlund (£64 million), Lisandro Martinez (£57 million), and Mason Mount (£55 million), to mention a few.

This meant that by the time you reached the substitute’s bench, there was little substance in reserve.

Here’s a look at United’s bench alternatives during the defeat

Antony – An pricey purchase and an undeniable bust, with only one goal and one assist this season, he has been completely useless.

Willy Kambwala is a defensive depth player with only one professional start.

Sofyan Amrabat – An international player who may have been a solid bench option but not a game changer.

Christian Eriksen – A solid backup, but unsuited to a game of this magnitude. He has lost the trust of his management, with only one start in 2024.

Omari Forson is a talented, inexperienced prospect with one professional start.Amad – Exciting talent with 0 league starts this season; has yet to win over the boss.

Toby Collyer is a young defensive midfielder who has played no professional minutes.

Habeeb Ogunneye is a young full-back who has yet to play a minute for the first team.

Altay Bayindir is a backup goalkeeper.

Before kickoff, it was evident that Manchester United’s choices for making substitutions were limited. Antony and Sofyan Amrabat were the only two people it seemed likely the manager would turn to at some point.

In comparison, City had Josko Gvardiol, Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic, and Julian Alvarez as substitutes, providing manager Pep Guardiola with a broader, more experienced pool of alternatives.

United’s injury issue this season has been nearly unparalleled, with only one fit fullback entering this game. A squad like City will eventually reveal this.

However, United’s most obvious flaw was a lack of attacking alternatives, which constantly put them at a disadvantage.

Substitutions do not help United

Erik ten Hag made four changes in all, some of which were influenced by his post-match disclosure that Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans started despite not being entirely healthy.

Evans was the first player replaced at 1-1, with Kambwala coming on, necessitating a complete defensive change, with the youngster going to right-back, Diogo Dalot to left, and Victor Lindelof returning to the centre.

This interruption benefited City. Antony then replaced Marcus Rashford, but he struggled to establish a footing in the game as the home team dominated possession.

After City established a 2-1 lead, Forson and Amrabat came on in the 82nd minute to replace Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

This substitution proved to be a net negative rather than a positive, as Amrabat gave the ball away for City’s third.

United should have a better selection. Perhaps anybody the team brought on would not have been able to stop City yesterday, but those were the guys the team had available, regardless of the opponent. The team requires further game changers.