That could have been the most chaotic game of basketball- I mean football- that I’ve ever witnessed. Michael Carrick’s Manchester United showed some real character last night, somehow drawing 4-4 with Villa when all hope appeared to have faded. It was another ill-disciplined, tactically naïve showing by United.
But at least they have brought a bit of entertainment back to Old Trafford, scoring seven times in their last two home matches. The result in a puzzling one; enough to save Carrick’s job (for now), but not enough to extricate them from the relegation zone. Here are my Man United player ratings.
GK: Senne Lemmens- 3/10
Put his side under immense early pressure with two sloppy mistakes in the opening five minutes. Alysson’s opener squeezed through far too easily while Lemmens spilt the ball into Jackson’s path for the 2nd.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui- 4/10
Luke Shaw aside, United have the worst fullbacks in the entire division. Mazraoui thought he was Hakimi last night, surging forward at every possible opportunity. Too bad he lacks his countryman’s defensive instincts. Mazraoui was almost constantly out of position and conceded plenty of cheap fouls.
CB: Harry Maguire- 6/10
I don’t really think Maguire did too much wrong yesterday. He was aerially dominant and stepped forward well to initiate attacks. He unfortunately couldn’t return after the break due to a back issue: his absence was felt.
CB: Lenny Yoro- 6/10
Yoro is a fascinating watch. The Frenchman was United’s best defender in the first stanza, showing brilliant recovery speed to scupper a few Villa forays. But he is a bit raw, smashing an attempted clearance into the crossbar in the buildup for Goretzka’s goal.
LB: Diego Dalot- 2/10
Just simply not good enough. At least Mazraoui offered a bit of cut and thrust going the other way. I felt he could have recognised the danger sooner in the buildup to Alysson’s early opener. But the lazy way he conceded that 2nd half penalty was unforgivable. He subverted his side’s first-half comeback efforts with that moment of madness.
CM: Youri Tielemans- 5/10
Sure, he netted an equalizer when United were purring. But the Belgian was otherwise flat before being yanked midway through the 2nd half. I have noticed that other publications have been far kinder to the Belgian’s performance. I think he carelessly gave away possession on several occasions, highlighting exactly why Villa were content to let him go in the summer.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo- 6/10
United’s undoubted player of the season thus far, Kobbie Mainoo was relatively quiet by his recent standards. Had to do plenty of the dirty work due to Tielemans’ lack of mobility. But he never really provided the type of forward impetus that he usually does. Solid.
AM: Bruno Fernandes- 8/10
Yes, he wasn’t perfect. But nobody can tell me that Bruno didn’t leave it all out there. The Portuguese playmaker was everywhere last night, wandering nomadically in his attempts to get United back into the match. He calmy slotted home his penalty kick before providing the dramatic assist for Dorgo’s equalizer.
LW: Matheus Cunha- 7/10
Cunha looks like a different player on the left. He was electrifying during those opening 45 minutes, earning the penalty with a committed run while generally terrorizing Harwood-Billis (who was deputizing at right-back for the suspended Matty Cash). He looked a bit of a spent force in the 2nd half.
RW: Amad Diallo- 6/10
This was probably Amad’s best performance since returning from injury (though that’s not saying much). Looked dangerous when shifting onto that left foot and probably should have scored in the first half. He was completely anonymous in the 2nd half, eventually making way for academy product Shea Lacey.
STR: Bryan Mbeumo- 5/10
Mbeumo was United’s most disappointing attacking outlet, vanishing for large periods of the game. How can the no.9 be that low-key in a 4-4 score-athon?
Subs
Ayden Heaven (on at halftime for Maguire)- 6/10
Had some decent carries but couldn’t stop the general carnage.
Mason Mount (on in 66’ for Dalot)- 5/10
The least effective of Carrick’s 2nd half subs. I still don’t know what Mount’s best position is. Is he a 10 or is he a box-to-box type? I don’t even think that he knows at this point.
Shea Lacey (on in 66’ for Amad)- 7/10
Lacey was mesmerizing in the midweek game against Roma and must have come within a whisker of sneaking into the starting lineup. Provided a direct threat when he came on for Amad though he overcooked a few crosses.
Patrick Dorgu (on in 66’ for Tielemans)- 9/10
Dorgu provided United with the feelgood factor, changing the game with his dynamism and unpredictably. He set up Zirkzee’s goal with an incisive bit of wing play. Who would have thought that beating your man and crossing the ball into a dangerous area could yield good results? He then sent the stadium into mass hysertia, nodding home the last-gasp equalizer to cap off a fabulous cameo.
Joshua Zirkzee (on in 82’ for Mbeumo)- 8/10
Zirkzee has often flattered to deceive, providing some neat little touches without having a real impact on matches. He bucked that trend last night, neatly guiding the ball home from Dorgu’s excellent delivery. He held the ball up brilliantly when he came onto the field, bringing the likes of Lacey and Cunha into the game.
