Pure-ly a matter of time

The former England under-21 international is the latest in a long line of senior figures at Bramall Lane to defend the manager following the club's difficult start to the Championship season.

United parted company with Robson's predecessor, Neil Warnock, during the immediate aftermath of last season's relegation from the Premier League.

And with Watford and Charlton, who also suffered the drop, riding high at the top of the Championship table attention has inevitably focused on the South Yorkshire outfit's current position.

Speaking before tomorrow's trip to Bristol City, Tonge said: "If you look at the other two, they've kept the same manager and so we're coming at things from a slightly different perspective.

"The manager here wants us to do things a little bit differently, he wants us to pass the ball through midfield, and it does take time to adapt to doing things a different way.

"That's not an excuse, though, and in the long run I'm sure it will suit the players we have here now more.

"I also think it will benefit me more as well.

"I'm sure that Bryan Robson will bring me on as a player."

Having started his United career on the left flank, Tonge has been handed a more central role in recent months.

With supporters demanding an infusion of creativity, he believes he can add a touch of elegance should Robson decide to look in-house.

"Playing in the middle isn't new to me," Tonge continued.

"It's where I always started out but when I came into the first team here it was on the left because that's the way it happened.

"But hopefully I'll continue in the middle because that's where I like to be.

"Sometimes your role changes depending on who you are playing with.

"When I've played with Monty (Nick Montgomery) I get forward more because he likes to sit back. Against Cardiff I was out there with Quinny (Alan Quinn) and so we took it in turns working our own sides because he likes to get forward as well."

United's problems this term were perfectly illustrated during Tuesday's dramatic draw with Dave Jones' men as they threw away a one-goal lead before scoring twice late on to claim a point.

Robson's assistant, Brian Kidd, yesterday emphasised the importance of knowing how to "win well and also win ugly" and Tonge agreed that learning how to adapt to different scenarios should serve United well in the future.

"When we got the ball into midfield against Cardiff their strikers dropped a long way back and so it was difficult to find the space," he said.

"But I think we're right to stick to doing it this way because sometimes I think teams want us to just start lumping it forward.

"I'm also seeing progress during the games as well.

"We're getting to grips with how the manager wants to do things."