Manchester United supporters were finally treated to three pieces of individual brilliance from summer-signing Memphis Depay, with the Netherlands international scoring twice and assisting a third goal in United’s 3-1 win against Club Brugge in their Champions League qualifier. Depay, 21, had a lot of pressure to deliver following two poor performance in the Premier League, and has shown his critics that he may well turn out to be worth every penny of his £31M transfer fee.
The forward’s first goal saw him brilliantly flick the ball over an onrushing defender, before advancing towards goal and feigning the shot until space opened up for him to find the target to score. At the time, it was United’s equalising effort, and Depay had more to come.
The Dutch international second goal of the night, which put the Red Devils ahead, was a fantastic curled effort from distance. Picking up the ball on the left-hand side, Depay cut inside on his favoured right-foot, and brilliantly bent his shot into the back of the net.
He played a huge part in Manchester United’s third to, claiming the assist for substitute Marouane Fellaini’s header at the death. Depay whipped in a brilliant ball from out wide that found Fellaini on his head, and he made no mistake in front of goal to give United the two-goal cushion they were desperate for.
Manager Louis van Gaal was unsurprisingly full of praise for his European antics, saying: I want to kiss him tonight because when you score two goals and have an assist then normally in the world you are the hero.”
“He is never satisfied (with his performance), and I like that because his desire to improve is higher – that’s Memphis. I had said it is a matter of time (before he finds form). Hopefully he shall continue. I have confidence in him, and am very happy (with tonight‘s performance).”
Manchester United fans have seen a glimpse of what Memphis Depay can produce when he’s in top form, and they would have liked what they saw of him against Club Brugge. The 21-year-old joined the Red Devils off the back of an outstanding season with former side PSV Eindhoven that saw him named Dutch Eredivisie top scorer, as well as leading PSV to the league title too.
He’s certainly earned a big-money move to Old Trafford, and is finally starting to the show quality fans have been expecting of him since the move.
