Monday night’s FA Cup fifth round clash between Chelsea and Manchester United is ridiculously important for the clubs’ respective managers. After humbling defeats over the last seven days, both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Maurizio Sarri desperately need to stay in the FA Cup to preserve their long-term futures at United and Chelsea. The loser is unlikely to remain in their current job for the start of next season.

Here are five tactical questions ahead of Chelsea v Man Utd:

1) Do Man Utd sit back and play on the break, or confront Chelsea like they did Spurs?

It’s still early days in the Solskjaer reign, and as of yet it is unclear exactly how the interim manager approaches Big Six games; United held a high block at Wembley in the 1-0 win over Tottenham, played on the counter-attack at Arsenal, and hesitated somewhere between the two in the 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. How United approach this match is the most important tactical question, particularly since we already know exactly what Chelsea will do.

Maurizio Sarri’s high press and vertical possession football has been working considerably more effectively at Stamford Bridge than on the road, which means Solskjaer is likely to plump for a conservative approach on Monday. To push high onto Chelsea risks getting seriously overrun by Eden Hazard after the hosts pass their way out of trouble, while Jose Mourinho’s defensive formation at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season – when a 95th minute Ross Barkley goal gave Chelsea a scarcely deserved point – provides a template Solskjaer may choose to follow.

United absorbing pressure and Chelsea recycling laboured possession appears to be the most likely tactical pattern of the match. That means the pace on the counter of Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku could be crucial, as will Hazard’s ability to weave through a congested United midfield.

With no Martial and Lingard, do we play Sanchez centrally with Rashford in the left and Lukaku on the right for the big games coming up? — Scott Patterson (@R_o_M) February 15, 2019

2) Kante on Pogba and Mata on Jorginho: will man-marking define the contest?

Everybody knows that sticking a man on Jorginho is the best way to stunt Chelsea; their predictable attacking lines and Sarri’s stubborn refusal to adapt means everything funnels through the Italian midfielder. But United have been using a 4-3-3 under Solskjaer and may feel it unwise to push one of these three (most likely Ander Herrera) higher up the pitch when Paul Pogba – who certainly can’t be expected to track Jorginho – is playing.

A potential solution is to play a 4-3-1-2 with Juan Mata behind Lukaku and Rashford, with Mata following Jorginho as he did in the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge when Mourinho was in charge. Whatever the formation United deploy, Solskjaer has shown over the last two months a willingness to be tactically flexible and to make the simple, obvious changes when necessary; there’s no doubt he’ll put someone on Jorginho.

But Chelsea may have a similar idea. PSG’s victory at Old Trafford was partly defined by Marquinhos’ man-marking of Pogba, which could mean Sarri instructs N’Golo Kante to stick tight to his compatriot. Since the two players will be occupying a similar zone of the pitch anyway, it would only take the mildest of tactical tweaks. Surely even Sarri can stomach that.

3) Will Lingard’s and Martial’s absence see Man Utd penned in?

PSG pulled away from Man Utd in the second half on Tuesday night because the hosts lost their runners, lost the ability to counter the visitors and push back. A similar situation could develop at Stamford Bridge given Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard will both be absent; hesitancy, and a gradual retreat, is a definite possibility following their humbling in midweek.

Certainly if Mata and Alexis Sanchez start then Chelsea have nothing to worry about, although more likely Romelu Lukaku will be brought in. The Belgian is quick, but he doesn’t have the same ability to drop deep or square up to defenders; he is only really a counter-attacking threat when drifting out to the right wing. Again, deploying the same 4-3-1-2 used against Arsenal (when Lukaku spent a long time on the right wing) looks to be the best solution for Solskjaer.

Sanchez – Rashford – Lukaku Don't know why Lukaku is not played more on the right wing. Has good bursts of sprints, and has generally done well at crossing the ball into the box. Can be an Henry-esque player imo. — Vaibhav (@Vaibhav_13) February 18, 2019

4) Will Hazard-Higuain partnership expose United’s disorganised defence?

Solskjaer hasn’t managed to solve United’s defensive problems despite a relatively consistent selection policy. Victor Lindelof’s forward-thinking intent in possession has become an important part of United’s new progressive tactics, but his defensive positioning needs work. Ditto Eric Bailly, who makes a worrying number of recovery tackles in his own third.

Chelsea’s most dangerous player is, of course, Hazard, and the left winger can expect an even higher output of goals and assists with Gonzalo Higuain up front. In the 5-0 victory over Huddersfield they linked superbly, Hazard frequently finding the Argentine with a no-look pass and getting it straight back; clearly Higuain makes a lot of the same movements as Olivier Giroud.

I’m done thinking Sarri will put out a starting XI that I fully like. He wants to finally win a trophy & he thinks his core of veterans is his best chance at that. Hazard & Higuaín linking up will have to be the saving grace for Sarri & my blood pressure. — Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) February 17, 2019

But what makes Higuain a good fit for Chelsea is his ability to suddenly spin in behind, making darting runs that will either drag defenders away from Hazard or give Chelsea’s playmaker a through-ball option. Moving in a diagonal line from left to centre, the Hazard-Higuain partnership is a serious worry for United’s chaotic centre-backs. Ashley Young ought to stay behind the ball at all times.

5) Can Rashford isolate out-of-form Azpilicueta?

Cesar Azpilicueta is having a dreadful time at the moment. He was (at least partially) at fault for five of Man City’s six goals last weekend; he lost his marker ahead of the first, missed a tackle ahead of the second, was skinned ahead of the fourth, gave away a penalty for the fifth, and was badly out of position ahead of the sixth. That follows on from a similarly chaotic display at Bournemouth, where all four goals came via counter-attacks down the flanks.

Last Saturday Solskjaer showed he has an eye for the simple tactical instructions where other managers seek to over-complicate. Despite resting the core of his squad for the trip to Fulham Solskjaer kept Martial in the side, instructing the Frenchman to hug the left touchline and run straight at Fulham’s makeshift right-back Denis Odoi. It worked, obviously. This time it is Rashford who will play predominantly down the left, looking to isolate and attack Chelsea’s most vulnerable defender.

Alex Keble