The resurgence of the three-man defence

The Athletic's Michael Cox joins Ali Maxwell for a look at the tactical increasingly fashionable trend of playing a back three this season after Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea all used the system last weekend in the FA Cup semi-finals.

13 of the 20 Premier League sides have tried a three-man defence at some point this season, some like Sheffield Utd and Wolves have used it in different ways but to great success, and others like West Ham and Southampton found it more difficult, so we examine the philosophy, the type of players and the tactics required to make a back three work.

Elsewhere Ali takes us down into the EFL with details of a spectacularly successful 3-6-1 system at Coventry and a League Two which is overflowing with three-man defences.

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