Manchester United bounced again from their consecutive Premier League defeats to Fulham and Manchester Metropolis with a victory over Everton yesterday.
The rating line ended 2-0 for Erik ten Hag’s group, however the consequence isn’t a real reflection of how the sport unfolded or United’s efficiency.
The hosts had been gifted two penalties within the first half because of clumsy challenges by the Toffees, which Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford each dispatched with confidence.
Nonetheless, there was one participant who thrived but once more in his new function, arguably turning into simply nearly as good as Fernandes.
Bruno Fernandes’ 23/24 marketing campaign
There’s no two methods about it: Fernandes has been United’s most constant performer since his arrival, thriving beneath each supervisor. The Portuguese midfielder is at all times a menace, whether or not he’s performing extraordinarily nicely or poorly. He has the power to create a second of magic from nothing.
Regardless of enjoying in a false 9 function during the last two league matches, Fernandes’ objective in opposition to Everton was his eighth of the marketing campaign and the 72nd of his United profession, alongside 63 assists.
His impression on the group is gigantic, along with his 5 possibilities created, three pictures on the right track, and ten touches within the opposition field on Saturday proving that he’s the principle driving power behind the Purple Devils attacking play.
Nonetheless, there may be one other particular person within the assault who’s on his solution to turning into simply as influential because the United captain.
Alejandro Garnacho’s stats in his new function
With Antony massively underperforming this season, registering zero objective contributions in 22 Premier League video games, Ten Hag has been pressured to deploy Alejandro Garnacho in a brand new function for granted winger.
The Argentine usually performs on the left, chopping inside onto his stronger proper foot, the place he can strike at objective, however his statistics on the alternative flank recommend that he’s thriving in entrance of Diogo Dalot.
Garnacho’s first main recreation on the correct was the 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Boxing Day, the place he netted a brace to overturn a two-goal deficit.
The 19-year-old additionally scored two within the 3-0 win in opposition to West Ham United final month, proving that he’s far more of a objective menace, netting 4 occasions in 12 matches on the correct and three objectives in 25 video games on the left.
Nonetheless, it’s his creativity that has additionally improved, as highlighted by his 8/10 efficiency – as per Manchester Night Information – in opposition to Everton this weekend.
|
Garnacho vs Everton |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats |
Garnacho |
|
Minutes |
83 |
|
xG |
0.29 |
|
Pictures |
3 |
|
Penalties received |
2 |
|
Probabilities created |
2 |
|
Touches in opposition field |
10 |
|
By way of FotMob |
|
With out Garnacho, the probabilities are that United wouldn’t have picked up three factors, with the “stupendous” attacker, as known as by soccer creator Liam Canning, successful each penalties after drifting throughout the sector with glorious motion on the primary and dribbling on the second.
The quantity 17 additionally created two possibilities and confirmed intent to get himself into goal-scoring positions, as highlighted by his three pictures within the field and 0.29 xG.
In reality, Garnacho has nicely and really made the right-wing function his personal in 2024, the place he’s set to play in for the remainder of the marketing campaign.