If Kayal and Stephens had been playing, I suspect Manu would have come on. Unfortunately due to the circumstances we had two centre mids who haven't played a league 90 minutes for how long? Wasn't a good day at the office, one of those where you have to take what you can and look to next week.
Thought it made perfect sense. We'd lost the midfield. Ince and Crofts, quite understandably, struggling having not played a full 90 for some time.
Besides it's not like 4-3-3/4-5-1 is defensive. Plenty of side play that way with two wide men and target man up top.