Player Ratings: Manchester United 1-1 Young Boys
A youthful Manchester United end their group stage exploits with a draw against Young Boys.
United scored early on with Mason Greenwood’s acrobatic volley creeping past Guillaume Faivre. The Reds continued to pile the pressure to no avail as before the break Donny van de Beek’s careless pass resulted in a Young Boys equaliser just before the interval.
The second half wasn’t much of a spectacle as United’s control of the game waned significantly. The excitement of the second half came from the introduction of Teden Mengi and Shola Shoretire, as well as Zidane Iqbal, Charlie Savage, and Tom Heaton for their first team debuts.
Here’s how each player performed alongside a rating out of 10:
Goalkeeper and Defence
Dean Henderson: 6
Henderson started very well as a sweeper-keeper, rushing out of his box, and clearing the ball on several occasions.
Luke Shaw: 6
Shaw managed to secure a pinpoint assist upon his return to the team after 4 games out.
Nemanja Matic: 5
As far as a captain’s performance goes, Matic wasn’t totally convincing today. He lost the ball on a few occasions due to erratic decision-making and inaccurate passing.
Embed from Getty ImagesEric Bailly: 7
Bailly was crucial to United’s defence. This was a very convincing, sturdy performance. He managed to defend excellently, providing some vital interceptions and disrupting some threatening opportunities for Young Boys.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 5
Wan-Bissaka didn’t have any influence upon the game. His defending wasn’t terrible, however his attacking output was limited and, for this reason, it is likely that Diogo Dalot will maintain his spot within the first team.
Midfield
Donny Van de Beek: 6
Other than his error which led to United conceding the goal, Donny Van De Beek was magnificent in the first half. His energy and link-up passing assisted the reds in controlling the midfield. However, the team’s energy receded during the second half.
Juan Mata: 5
Mata seemed rusty and it took him a while to get into the game. However, it should be acknowledged that he did execute some successful creative passes. Despite this, his overall impact was inadequate.
Embed from Getty ImagesJesse Lingard: 5
Lingard seemed to start the game brightly. His tenacity and energy proved an effective asset in pressing Young Boys’ players. However, his influence drifted as the game went on.
Attack
Mason Greenwood: 8
Greenwood was Manchester United’s stand-out player today- scoring an excellent volleyed goal within the first ten minutes. Aside from this, his performance was exceptional, utilising his strength, speed, and footballing prowess to potentially earn himself a starting spot in Ragnick’s 11.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnthony Elanga: 6
Considering this was Elanga’s full Champions League debut, his display was impressive. He seems comfortable on the ball and consistently finds himself in very good positions. Additionally, he was very close to scoring on one occasion.
Amad Diallo: 6
As the game went on, Amad significantly grew in confidence and his technical abilities began to flourish.
Substitutes
Tom Heaton: 5
Heaton didn’t really have anything to do upon coming on. However, when called into action, he showed a steady pair of hands.
Teden Mengi: 7
Mengi was fantastic upon coming on as a second-half substitute. His defensive work can only be described as majestic, making a couple of recovery tackles and vital interceptions.
Shola Shoretire: 5
Shoretire didn’t have any significant impact on the game.
Embed from Getty ImagesZidane Iqbal: 5
It was great to see Iqbal get his Manchester United debut! However, due to a lack of game time, he was unable to get a grip on the match.
Charlie Savage: 5
Similarly, great to see Savage get his debut! However, due to a lack of game time, he was unable to majorly change the game.
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