Gary Neville hesitated for a moment before releasing the name of his “man of the match” in Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday. It wouldn’t be Bruno Fernandes, for once, even if the Portuguese had played a central role in the Red Devils’ superb reaction in the second half of a poorly started game. He explained that no less than five candidates had occurred to him.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka had shown why Gareth Southgate, present in the stands, could not yet exclude him from his thinking before Euro 2020, while on the other side of the defense, Luke Shaw had again proved that no left-back – English or not – no longer deserved his place in the 2020-21 XI of the Premier League. We had found the best Fred, that of Shakhtar, and the best Pogba too, bright in the second half, not to mention Edinson Cavani, decisive passer, scorer and permanent poison for the Spurs.
For a bit, it feels like one of those Hollywood movies where a group of left-behind and marginalized young people make common cause for one last job.
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Neville could also have increased this quintet of Dean Henderson, author of two superb parades at the near post, both on violent shots from Harry Kane. Loaned – and brilliant – to Sheffield United last year, the young Englishman (24 years since March 12) had to wait in the shadow of David De Gea before taking advantage of the Spaniard’s paternity leave to blow him his place, a place that he will keep until the end of the season. His choice finally fell on Cavani.
Wan-Bissaka, Shaw, Fred, Pogba, Cavani. In other words: an inexperienced right-back for whom it was said that United had paid too much (€ 57m), a left-back that José Mourinho had scrapped after publicly criticizing his lifestyle and his attitude in training, a midfielder who had cost € 60m and had a more than delicate first season at Old Trafford, a former future Ballon d’Or, the most expensive ex-player in the world, in more or less open and more or less permanent conflict with his club and his managers, whose agent Mino Raiola had made it clear that he would probably no longer be a United player next summer, and a 34-year-old striker who had not played for eight months when he appeared for the first time in the red jersey last October, and who claims to want to return to his native Uruguay at the end of this season. For a bit, it feels like one of those Hollywood movies where a group of left-behinds and young marginalized people make common cause for one last job.
Paul Pogba during Leicester City – Manchester United in the FA Cup on March 21, 2021
Credit: Getty Images
The parallel would however be misleading. It cannot be by chance that these players who were so many question marks have returned to a level worthy of the club they represent; and whatever opinion one may have of the intrinsic value of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the technician, they are also proof that the Norwegian, if he is not an innovator, has qualities of trainer – at the meaning of a man who knows how to “draw” his own in his approach and his speech – that he was not suspected.
Luke Shaw, Manchester Man of the Year?
There are countless occasions, in England and in Europe, where United have found themselves in a perilous position this season, failing to start their matches with the aggressiveness and concentration required. But scoring the first goal is not the best sign for his opponents. In December, the Red Devils set a curious record, which illustrates what their momentary fragility has so dreaded for their opponents: they became the first team in Premier League history to win six consecutive matches in the league. outside after conceding the first goal. Tottenham had been warned. But Tottenham fell like the others, and MU were able to preserve their unbeaten position outside Old Trafford for the 23rd (!) League game in a row.
Another figure impresses. Twenty-eight points collected in Premier League fixtures where United were behind put Solskjaer’s players at the top of this ranking which speaks volumes about their ability to react in poorly started matches – players whose mental strength does not was not necessarily considered to be the first quality. However, if Bruno Fernandes was often the catalyst for the best performances of MU this season, he was not the only author.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) face ) Newcastle
Credit: Getty Images
Gary Neville, again, maintains that it is not the Portuguese, but Luke Shaw who, until now, has been the most consistent player in Mancun, failing to be the one who most often won the decision. Luke Shaw, unwavering despite the arrival of Alex Telles. Luke Shaw, whose previous season had been complicated by three injuries. Luke Shaw, the Turkish head of Mourinho. And what holds for him also holds for Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Pogba and Cavani; and also for Lindelöf and McTominay, while we’re at it.
The “forgotten”, “overpriced” and “left behind”
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. Perhaps the surprise is that the Premier League’s costliest squad after Man City has taken so long to function as it does today. The “forgotten”, “overpriced” and “left behind” returned to the level that should have been theirs all along. Their team remains perfectible (especially in its strange inability to start its matches at the required pace), but begins to look like what its supporters were entitled to expect, in terms of result, if not play.
Forgive me these fans, but this “game”, by the way, was never the hallmark of their club, whatever Sir Alex might have claimed. Intensity, yes. Combativeness. Confidence in young people. Outstanding individuals, from George Best to Wayne Rooney, from Denis Law to Cristiano Ronaldo. Dazzling cons, yesterday led by Ryan Giggs and Andreï Kanchelskis, today by Marcus Rashford and Fernandes. But the “game”? No. United are pragmatic by choice and by nature, and never more dangerous than when they respect that identity, and have the players who can embody it, and that is exactly what they are doing today.
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