Man Utd: Why keeping Edinson Cavani for one more year is ideal for all parties involved

Edinson Cavani is proving to the doubters that age is just a number, as he has directly contributed to 11 league goals in just under 1200 minutes of Premier League football. When joining Manchester United on a free transfer in October 2020, majority of football supporters were expecting him to be another Angel di Maria, Memphis Depay or Radamel Falcao, a few well-known players that moved to Old Trafford with high expectations on their heads but failed to deliver and settle into the club.

However, the Uruguayan international has made an instant impact on and off the pitch, from leading the line in the number nine role to showing his winning mentality and most importantly, rubbing it onto the younger players in Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Not only that, but he also offers something different when compared to the other forwards, as his movement in the final third is simply top notch and his aerial presence allows the wide players to cross into the box frequently.

With Anthony Martial having an awful season compared to his usual standards, scoring seven goals in 45 appearances in all competition for club and country, both Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been able to handle the situation to some extent due to the goods provided by the former Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward. Given that the Frenchman is out with a knee injury for the remainder of the season, if Cavani continues to work on his performances and attacking numbers week in and out, his stocks as an important player will continue to rise for sure.

For sure, he has not enjoyed his first full season in England to full effect, as the country have been in a strict lockdown for majority of the period and he has not received the perfect welcoming from the Old Trafford faithful, who are yet to attend the stadium since March 2020. Also, he had to wait a couple of games before making his debut for the side, due to the quarantine rules of self-isolating for 10 to 14 days when entering the country, preventing him from getting off the ground instantly.

Despite the rumours linking him with a return to South America, he still has the work rate, the fine movement off the ball and most importantly, he knows where the back of the net is, in order to have more one quality season in Europe before moving to Argentina or Uruguay. Likewise, one more year of the striker, who is aging like fine wine, will prevent the club from worrying about bringing in a forward this summer, as Erling Haaland or Harry Kane will not come cheap for any potential buyers.

Overall, it would be a no brainer for Edinson Cavani to stay at the football club for another season as they are currently in second place in the Premier League and have recently qualified for the Europa League final. Should they finish the campaign with a silverware, along with having a dominant summer transfer window and keeping the South American hitman for the 2021-22 season, then the side should have their best chances of competing in all competition since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

And lastly, with the club’s lack of ability to complete deals effectively and in a smooth manner like how rival clubs in Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City do, it would not be a surprise to see them offering Cavani a contract extension on the final days of the season, allowing them to focus on the priority signings in Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho, who are linked with the club on a regular basis.

Man Utd: It’s time for everyone to appreciate captain Harry Maguire

Manchester United are currently in second place in the Premier League and a foot into the Europa League finals, and it would not be possible without the monumental presence and leadership of Harry Maguire in the heart of defence, who is starting to gain the appreciation of supporters and pundits.

Having played in every single minute of English football so far this season, the 28-year-old is yet to miss a game through injury or suspension, showing how reliable the defender has proven to be since joining Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in August 2019. Not only that, but his individual contribution has ironed out the team’s defensive issues, as he plays a vital factor in the side finishing within the top four in back-to-back seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson last managed the football club.

More importantly and recently, Maguire was one of the main players to lead a serious confrontation against the club’s owners and executive vice-chairman, as they entered the European Super League without making the manager and the players aware of the situation before it was announced to the public. Due to the backlash, it led Ed Woodward with no option but to resign from his position at the club, who has been under huge criticism with how he dealt with his transfer dealings over the years.

Over the last couple of months, the English international has hardly put a foot wrong on the pitch as he continues to build a strong relationship with the likes of Dean Henderson, Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof in the backline. Since the start of 2021, the Red Devils have kept nine clean sheets and conceded only 12 goals in 18 league games, with the defensive improvement shown in numbers.

When looking at the side’s defensive record in recent seasons, United conceded 54 league goals and finished in sixth-place during the 2018/19 campaign. The following season, in Solskjaer’s first full season at the club and with the much needed arrival of Maguire, the side conceded 34 league goals and finished the campaign in third-place. And at the moment, the team are sat in second place and have conceded 35 goals in 33 league games. On that basis, Maguire’s impact and influence on the team and the backline is second to none, even if he isn’t everyone’s type of standard centre-back.

The former Leicester City centre-back is a great example of a player who has become a victim of his price tag, as it took the Red Devils an amount of £80million to attain the defender from the Foxes, who was actually linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City before his move to Old Trafford had become official. His price tag is instantly raised if he produces an error or a mistake, and if he goes on to complete a dominant and strong performance, then he does not get the full credit and praise he deserves, as most people are typically expecting this of an £80million player.

For sure, his weaknesses are clear and it is something that cannot be hidden, from being caught out of position, inability to defend in one-on-one situations and lack of pace to cover his tracks independently. Though, his strengths are much superior when compare to his weaknesses, and once he is playing alongside a better partner in defence and with a natural defensive-midfielder in front of him, he could potentially be regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the whole of Europe.

Overall, Harry Maguire is an important player for Manchester United on and off the pitch, and he will truly be appreciated the day he is unavailable for a couple of matches due to suspension or injury. When you are one of the first players to be mentioned in the line-up, and you receive credit and respect from your team-mates and manager, then it does not really matter what is said by the supporters or the pundits, as their opinions on players and managers tend to change on a daily basis. Without his proactive defending, aggressive approach of nature and leadership ability, the side would be struggling to make the top four positions and would fail to progress in cup competition.

Man Utd 6-2 AS Roma: Three things we learnt from the first leg of the Europa League Semi-finals

Manchester United continued their dominant and ruthless showing in the Europa League, as they demolished a Roma side, who were forced to make three substitutes in the first half of the game due to unfortunate injuries. With this 6-2 victory at Old Trafford, it leaves the Red Devils with one foot into the Europa League finals and not much to worry about for the second leg in Italy next week.

The hosts got off to the perfect start with a goal in the ninth minute through Bruno Fernandes, who was smartly found by Edinson Cavani before chipping the ball over Pau Lopez. However, the team conceded two cheap goals through individual errors and poor defensive awareness as the Italian side were able to achieve two away goals and most importantly the lead, ten minutes before the break.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men meant business and came out with the right mindset after the half-time break, leading to a crucial equaliser from Cavani three minutes into the second half, who produced a world-class finish. From there onwards, it was all Manchester United as Roma found it too difficult to keep up with them and handle them, with the English team scoring four goals in the last 25 minutes of the match, as the goals came from Cavani again, Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood.

Here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest Europa League fixture…

One foot into the Europa League finals

Despite failing to get past the semi-finals of three competitions during the 2019-20 season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United are 90 minutes away from finally experiencing their first final under the 48-year-old Norwegian international. It may seem like a long time coming, but the manager and the players have shown the maturity and understanding to comeback from the downfall they had suffered from last season, resulting in a campaign ending with zero silverware.

With one foot in the Europa League final, both the manager and the players will still have a lot to takeaway from the first leg against Roma, as a number of individuals had lost their heads once the opposition took the lead, and the coach is always criticised for his in-game management skills. Though, on this occasion, Solskjaer did not change the line-up after trailing to Roma, as the team managed to turn things around in the second half as they showed their pure brilliance and quality.

The big characters in midfield and attack stepped up

After Edin Dzeko had given the visitors the lead in the 34th minute of the game, nothing was going right for United, who were failing to string a couple of passes together and were not making the clear effort on both sides of the pitch. However, with the half-time break arriving at the perfect time for the side, the huge characters in the team in Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba effectively stepped up in the second half, leaving Roma with no chance of defending their 2-1 lead.

With experienced players who have played at the highest level of football for quite some time like the above trio, they are the type of individuals who are able to create a chance or score a goal from half a moment. When a manager has born winners and players who step up when the side need them the most, it leaves Solskjaer with very little to do or to change in order to turn the game around, as individuals such as Cavani, Fernandes and Pogba are able to do this single-handedly.

Man Utd remain favourites to win the Europa League

For sure, Manchester United were seen as the clear favourites to win the Europa League after they were knocked out of the Champions League group stages, though, the side had to take their performance levels and results up a notch in order to prevent themselves from being regarded as bottlers. As the club have not won a trophy since May 2017, which was the Europa League under Jose Mourinho, everyone at the club will want to re-write history by becoming two-time winners.

With the opposition for the final yet to be confirmed between Arsenal and Villarreal, the Red Devils should have more than enough class and individual brilliance to see out either of the sides in the Europa League final. Not only that, but the side also have one of the best form away from home in Europe, as the team have shown their pure class of elite mentality and intelligence to win games. In the end, it would be seen as a huge shock if the Red Devils fail to win the competition and a lot of questions and doubts will be raised on whether the manager/players are good enough for the club.

Roma smashed for 6 goals as Manchester United run riot in the Europa League

The week had begun with Roma fans very unhappy with Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s comments about the club. Solskjaer had said that he hadn’t watched much of Roma and didn’t really know too much about the club in response to his preparation of United’s game against them.

Roma fans were livid and put up banners where the players train which some read ‘give them something to remember us by’. Well that didn’t quite go to plan and Roma who had lost 7-1 at Old Trafford 14 years ago went down 6-2 and are surely out of the Europa League now.

It was a devastating result and it showed the quality that Manchester United can still possess on their day. It is odd in some ways though because this game had shifted back and forth and for a time Roma were leading 2-1 and looking good for it too. Oh how football can be so cruel.

Perhaps the Gods had acted too quick in announcing this would be a forgettable night for Roma once again in Europe. Within a few minutes of the game kicking off one of Roma’s best players this season Jordan Veretout had to go off with an injury. Five minutes later Roma were trailing 1-0 through a Bruno Fernandes goal. It was a great chip that Fernandes produced to put United in charge of the game. At this point the rest looked inevitable, but Roma would surprise first before hitting the canvas.

Just five minutes after the goal the Giallorossi hit back. Paul Pogba handled the ball in the area and they were awarded a penalty. The impressive Lorenzo Pellegrini who is ranked 3rd in the best Roma players in the fantasy football standings converted with no trouble and it was 1-1.

But still the total non luck continued for Roma when they lost a further two players to injury. First it was Pau Lopez and then Leonardo Spinazzola had to leave the field. The good news was that Roma would take the lead. Pellegrini was able to set up Edin Dzeko for an easy goal and Dzeko a former Manchester City player would have been happy with that. The first half ended with Roma in the lead full time would not be so kind.

Within 3 minutes of the restart Edinson Cavani had made it 2-2 though VAR did question the goal it stood. Just past the hour mark Cavani made it 3-2 to United and his 2nd of the night after latching onto a rebound. And then it was 4-2 ten minutes later with a Fernandes penalty. Chris Smalling had made the foul, the former Manchester United player, it all seemed written in the stars and this game was over for Roma, the problem was there was more goals to come.

On the 76th minute it was 5 goals for the home side, Fernandes turning provider this time and the ball found Paul Pogba’s head for sheer joy for the Red Devils. Mason Greenwood just rubbed salt into the wounds to make it 6-2 for the night and put, let’s face it, two feet into the final for Manchester United.

Roma need to win 4-0 to advance to the final, they will be at home of course for the 2nd leg but this seems quite a stretch to believe that they have any chance of making it. It has been a nightmare of a season for Roma simply because it had started so well, but this match proved that the club are in dire straits and that coach Paolo Fonseca will surely be replaced in the summer.

After going their last 3 games without a win Roma are in 7th place in Serie A which means that they would have to go through a qualifying round just to participate in next seasons Europa League. They could also finish 8th and have no European football next season, which is a real possibility. At the weekend the Giallorossi will face Sampdoria.

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Man Utd: Three players that need to do much better after the international break

As the international break is a couple of days away from ending, the majority of Manchester United supporters will be wondering how the manager and the players will prepare for the final four to six weeks of the season. Sitting in second place, along with remaining in the Europa League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men still have a fair amount to play for in the remaining short period of the campaign.

Following the club’s departure from the FA Cup to Leicester City two weeks ago, the chances of winning a piece of silverware this season is through the Europa League route only, which still has the likes of Arsenal, Ajax, Roma and Villarreal in the intense competition. Nevertheless, the Red Devils are still favourites to win the trophy, and if the manager goes two seasons without delivering a league title or trophy, a lot of doubts and questions will be raised by the Old Trafford faithful.

With no further ado, here are the three players that need to improve after the international break…

Anthony Martial

From having his most prolific campaign in a Manchester United shirt last season, scoring 17 goals and producing six assists in 32 league appearances, to being on the worst form of his professional career, Anthony Martial has contributed to only seven league goals directly in 1488 minutes of Premier League football. The Frenchman’s issues in front of goal and lack of consistency, has led to the links to Erling Braut Haaland, who was wanted by both the club and manager, over a season ago.

Given how Manchester United play under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Martial is a key individual for his system, especially with his hold-up play and his ability to bring the midfielders and the other attackers into the game. On the other hand, the 25 year old’s stiff movement in the final third of the pitch and his consistency to hide away in games is showing to be a huge problem, and if these weaknesses are not ironed out, it would not be a surprise to see him slowly drifted away from the starting line-up, as the top teams in European football have a number nine that is complete and dominant.

Bruno Fernandes

For sure, many will wonder why Bruno Fernandes has made this list, someone who is proving to be one of the key performers for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United this campaign. However, the Portuguese international has not been himself since the start of 2021, as he has found it difficult to effect and influence the game in the way he normally does so. Not only that, but he has been playing week in and out without an actual rest, causing a massive hinderance on his day-to-day impact and output.

Over the last few months, Fernandes has been showing some inconsistency and flaws in his game, where he tends to overdo his passes, spam constant crosses as well as lead a single and unnecessary press, allowing the opposition to take advantage of the space that he leaves behind. The good news happens to be, he is suspended for Portugal’s final fixture of the international break, resulting in his return to Manchester a couple of days ago, which will allow him to enjoy the final days of resting before playing in the Premier League again.

David De Gea

Without a doubt he is regarded as a fans favourite and someone who has individually helped Manchester United during their decline after the Sir Alex Ferguson-era, though, David De Gea is now holding back the football club from playing their best football and most importantly from competing for titles and trophies under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The fact that he can no longer produce his outstanding reflexes, he is not vocal enough as a goalkeeper and is seriously unconvincing at playing out from the back, makes him a huge defensive liability.

Furthermore, Dean Henderson has been given a number of chances to prove himself in De Gea’s absence, in which he has outdone the expectations of the manager as well as the supporters with quality performances against the like of Manchester City, Real Sociedad in both legs and AC Milan in the second leg. And if he continues to perform at a high level as well as minimise the weaknesses in the Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof partnership, then the Spaniard’s time at Old Trafford will most certainly look to be over.

Man Utd: Two questions ahead of the West Ham United clash at Old Trafford

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United face a difficult fixture on Sunday evening, as West Ham travel up north to Old Trafford with the interest of continuing their shocking pursuit for a top-four finish. Currently sitting in fifth-place, David Moyes has got the Hammers walking in his wonderland, who have won more league games than the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Looking at Manchester United’s form at home so far this campaign, in 13 league games, the side have won six, drawn three and lost on four occasions. The side’s results could certainly improve, especially if they were to be more effective in controlling the game from start to end, as well as giving the opposition very little space and time on the ball, two key aspects of United’s current flaws that need addressing.

On the other hand, West Ham’s record away from home is similar to Man Utd’s results at home, however, they have done more than enough in the fixtures at the London Stadium in order to be in the position where they are today. An interesting fact for those that are into their statistics is that David Moyes’ side have the second-best home form in the league, achieving 27 points out of 42.

Here are the two questions which should be considered ahead of Sunday evening…

Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer improve the side’s performances and results at Old Trafford?

Despite being in second place at the moment, Manchester United’s performances and results at home in recent months simply haven’t been good enough, especially if they want to turn Old Trafford into a fortress, like it was during the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Since then, the opposition teams have been able to come to the theatre of dreams with the confidence of walking away with a result.

With key matches coming up in the final months of the season against the likes West Ham, Burnley, Liverpool and Leicester City, the squad will have to take their individual output up a notch, or they will fall into a dangerous trap of falling into a battle for the top four positions. For sure, the schedule of fixtures has been all over the place, where all the teams in the Premier League are playing a game every few days, but the Red Devils have to give a last push to end the season on a high note.

Will Bruno Fernandes be able to deliver the goods on his own with key individuals being injured?

Given the fact that the crucial players in Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba are expected to miss the West Ham fixture, Manchester United will totally be dependent on Bruno Fernandes, who has incredibly helped the side week in and out. In 28 Premier League appearances this season, the Portuguese international has contributed directly to 26 of Manchester United’s 55 goals, showing how essential and important he truly is to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 26-year-old is clearly proving to be one of the best Premier League players of the season, and if he continues to help his team finish in the top three positions in the league table, he will be regarded as the clear favourite to win the PFA Player of the Season award. Although he has been quiet in recent fixtures and he has shown quite some inconsistencies, Bruno Fernandes will aim to return to his fine form once again, as he is the type of player to create or score out of nothing.

 

Man City 0-2 Man Utd: Three things we learnt as the Red Devils show their class in a big game

Manchester United continue to their amazing form away from home as they visited the noisy neighbours and walked away with the three points, a clean sheet and a solid performance from the team as a whole. With this victory, it leaves them 11 points behind Pep Guardiola’s men, however, the Red Devils are able to return into second place and a step closer to Champions League football.

Despite the likes of David De Gea, Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba being unavailable for the Manchester derby, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were still able to hold up their own and execute their game plan to full effect. On the other hand, Manchester City were dominating possession as always and had created a couple of really good chances but were missing the clinical player to take them.

Given the outcome of one of the most intense Premier League fixtures of the season, Manchester United will be hoping to continue this form to confidently finish in the top four positions whilst compete on all fronts in the FA Cup and Europa League. Meanwhile for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, they will not want any last-minute slip-ups as they seem on course to win the league title.

With no further ado, here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league fixture…

Dean Henderson stepping up in David De Gea’s absence

Manchester United are expected to be without David De Gea for the next couple of weeks, who is currently in Spain after his partner had given birth to their daughter just a couple of days ago. Although there were some doubts about the Spaniard’s presence being missed with some crucial fixtures coming ahead, Dean Henderson has entered the team and stepped up better than expected.

With a monumental save at the end of the Crystal Palace fixture and five important saves during the Manchester derby, Henderson is starting to prove himself to the manager and the rest of the coaches at the football club. Not only that, but the goalkeeper has shown how much of a leader he is, along with his ability to play with the ball at his feet and his composure of playing as a sweeper keeper, leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a good headache of who is number one keeper should be.

Outstanding performances from Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw

The fact that Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw were huge doubts ahead of the derby, and both of them went on to produce an outstanding performance on and off the ball, shows the type of sacrifices the players in the squad are willing to make for the manager and the club. If the duo were not able, the expected replacements for the pair would have been Alex Telles and Mason Greenwood, who would not have lived up to the expectations of the Manchester United supporters.

Martial, who has had a very poor season compared to his usual standards, showed many bright moments of his former self, where he held the ball up impressively and was always willing to take on one or two players in the middle of the pitch. Turning the focus onto Luke Shaw, he is quite clearly showing that he is currently the best left-back in the league, as a number of wingers are finding problems in getting past the defender, and he is also implementing his attacking ability all campaign.

The Red Devils showed composure defensively and their class on the counter

A lot of questions were raised ahead of the Manchester derby, especially towards Manchester United’s results against the big teams in the Premier League, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s lack of ambition and attacking plans were questioned by his critics. On the other hand, his side showed what they are about at the Etihad Stadium, as they showed their composure in the defensive areas as well as their pure class on the counterattack.

The Red Devils have proven to be more dangerous in transition and on the counter through the pace and movement of the likes of Daniel James, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw, whereas, they have had constant difficulties in breaking down a deep block against teams such as Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and West Brom. If the side can be more proactive and intelligent on the creative aspect of the game, then for sure, the team will be successful under the 48-year-old Norwegian.

Premier League Game of the Week: Manchester United 3-3 Everton

Was this the weekend when Manchester United were found out? The club were never expected to challenge for the Premier League title this season and it’s incredible to think of how well United have done when just 3 months ago manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job was genuinely under threat.

But this was a game for the Red Devils in which they were expected to win. Edinson Cavani was expected to score because the super Uruguyan had done so on two occasions against Everton this season, once in the Carabao Cup to knock Carlo Ancelotti’s team out of the competition and once in the league where United, playing at Goodison Park won the game 3-1. Cavani scored on the break which killed that encounter off.

Cavani as it turned out did not let anyone down as he opened the scoring. At that point it felt fairy predictable that United who have shown moments of great form this season would go on and win the game.

But this match would end up being a game of two halves. And it was all red in the first. United scoring early sensed that Everton were there for the taking. Although one should remember that the Toffeemen have played much better away from home and picked up more points on the road this season. Still it was only United creating all of the chances and they had several moments to double their lead. Everton did not have a shot on target in the first half and when Aaron Wan-Bissaka set up Bruno Fernandes to make it 2-0, surely there was no coming back from this point?

Everton previously and infamously did come back against United when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge of the club, from 4-2 down they drew 4-4. But coming back at Old Trafford was in Ferguson’s era as rare as hen’s teeth. At half time Everton looked doomed. And then suddenly just 4 minutes into the 2nd half it was 2-1. Abdoulaye Doucoure was the goal scorer and it has come moments after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had almost pulled a goal back for the visitors, but he would have his moment later in the game.

For Doucoure the new signing this season it was a special moment, not in the goal itself which was from a rebound in the box but Doucoure doesn’t score many goals and he knew right away that his side were back in this game.

The game seemed to have swung in Everton’s favour and the underdogs for this duel came out fighting and within less than 10 minutes of Doucoure’s goal it was 2-2. And it was Doucoure again who used his magic setting up James Rodriguez who slotted nicely past the keeper. In just 13 minutes of the re start Everton were back on level terms.

The game was end to end now and it was certainly up for grabs, but it would be United taking the lead once more. A Luke Shaw freekick found the head of Scott McTominay who directed the ball home from about 6 yards out. McTominay has been in brilliant form lately and the script looked all set up for him to be the winning goal hero.

As time was running out Lucas Digne hit the post for Everton and the game looked like a huge 3 points for United. But football usually surprises with a few twists and there would be another one for United. Calvert-Lewin prodded home in the area as the ball ran through and United could not quite believe that they had conceded so late, literally the last kick of the game. As expected Everton were ecstatic. The game had ended in a draw but for Everton it had felt like victory.

In league terms it was a blow for United who fell 5 points behind league leaders Manchester City but are still in 2nd place. The problem for United is that City also have a game in hand. Everton are in 7th place but the club have 2 games in hand over most of the teams above them and in theory could go 4th with victories in those games.

Manchester United: man of the match: Bruno Fernandes

What an incredible player Bruno Fernandes has been this season. He scored a world class goal to make it 2-0 to United and that was his 13th goal of the season. In the fantasy rankings he already has 80 points and out of the major leagues in Europe he would be ranked 2nd.

Everton: man of match: Abdoulaye Doucoure

Doucoure ran the show for Everton in the early stages of the 2nd half to bring his club back into a match they thought they had lost. Not only did he score a goal but he also assisted in another. Doucoure has been involved in 5 goals this season in the league and has earned 17 points so far.

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Man Utd: Three key battles to look out for ahead of the Everton fixture at Old Trafford

Going into gameweek 23, with the key fixture of the weekend being between Liverpool and Manchester City, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United have the huge opportunity of either closing the gap on the league leaders or extending their distance away from the teams below them, should they beat an Everton side that have been knocking around just below the top four spots.

The head-to-head amongst the two teams is predicted to be an aggressive and intense battle, as both sides have shown the high quality of energy, movement and work rate time after time this season. Not only that, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men head into the weekend as one of the best away teams in the league, as they have only lost on two out of ten occasions away from Goodison Park.

Meanwhile, for the Red Devils, the side’s home form in the league has been quite on and off, where they have won five games, lost four games and drawn twice. Although they are currently sitting in second place, United cannot afford to drop more points at Old Trafford, whether they want to challenge for the league or finish confidently in the top four, the form at home must be rock-solid.

With no further ado, here are the three key battles to look out for ahead of the fixture…

Marcus Rashford vs Mason Holgate

Although he has not consistently been involved in the goals and assists in recent weeks for his team, Marcus Rashford continues to look dangerous with his dribbling and movement on the ball as well as his linkup play down the left flank with Luke Shaw. Also, with his ability to roam into other areas of the pitch, he has shown great understanding of being a threat and a problem for the opposition on the right wing, an area that the side are missing the presence of a winger that is a consistent creator.

Rashford is expected to be up against Mason Holgate, who could potentially be the preferred option over Seamus Coleman at right-back, with his recovery pace and physicality being superior when compared to the latter. Despite being known for his natural abilities as a centre-back, the 24-year-old has the versatility to be utilised at right-back and even at defensive-midfield, which could prove to be more than useful for Ancelotti, as his squad tends to pick up a few injuries here and there.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin vs Harry Maguire

Currently on the best goal-scoring form of his life, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could certainly finish the season with 20-25 league goals under his belt, should he keep his determination and hunger for goals at a high level. The forward is only one league goal away from matching his 2019/20 Premier League season of 13 league goals, showing how far he has come as a player personally and how much he has improved since the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park in December 2019.

Calvert-Lewin will be in for a really intense and physical battle with Harry Maguire, who has got the better of the Everton forward on two occasions so far this campaign. The captain of Manchester United has proven to be influential individual in the backline for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, where his leadership skills, aerial prowess and composure on the ball has helped the team, even when he is not appreciated highly by everyone. On top of that, Maguire has played in every single minute of Premier League football so far this season, and is yet to miss a game through injury or suspension.

Pogba vs Abdoulaye Doucoure

After having the perfect month at a personal level and in terms of his contributions to the team, Paul Pogba is back in business and is expected to continue to show his excellence on Saturday evening after being well rested in the mid-week fixture against Southampton. With crucial goals away to Burnley and Fulham in the league as well as a dominant performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup, the Frenchman is showing to be at his best, which is perfect news for all parties at the club.

On the other hand, for Everton, Abdoulaye Doucoure will be looking to play in the double pivot alongside Andre Gomes, where he will be hoping to nullify the threat that the Manchester United midfield pose through Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba. Along with his defensive duties and the shift he will be putting in for the team, the side will look to breakthrough and attack through the midfielder himself, as he has shown his ability to dribble and take on two-three players with ease.

FA Cup Game of the Week: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool

With the Premier League taking a break at the weekend for the FA Cup, we instead picked out an all Premier League fixture and it doesn’t get bigger than Liverpool and Manchester United.

The two teams recently played each other in the Premier League which made our game of the weekend. It was a tense nail biting affair which ended 0-0 and the points were shared. This cup game though lived up to the traditional English cup games, end to end football and plenty of chances. In the end there was 5 goals and it was exciting knowing that one of these huge teams who could win the FA Cup were about to go out. This is because the replay has been scratched out of the competition now. This match didn’t need one though.

Liverpool who had been under criticism for their lack of goals lately took the lead through Mohamed Salah would have been relived to have got back to scoring goals again. He took a good pass and scored as early as the 18th minute.

However just 8 minutes later Manchester United were on level terms as Mason Greenwood equalised. Marcus Rashford set him up with a pass that opened up a make shift Liverpool defence and it was 1-1. Game on.

The half ended all square but within 3 minutes of the restart Manchester United were 2-1 up through Rashford and it was a great goal. Greenwood who had scored their first returned the favour to set up Rashford who smashed the goal home with a low shot, if only the fans had been allowed to witness it in the stadium they would have been rather happy. Coming back from a goal down against your bitter enemy would have been sweet indeed.

Just past the hour mark in a very exciting game it was that man Salah again who made it 2-2 with a low shooting effort that went past all of the defenders. Even though Liverpool would go on to lose the game for Salah’s confidence to score 2 goals against the current Premier League leaders shouldn’t go unnoticed and he will be a shoe in one would think to score in Liverpool’s next league game.

The game would be won though by one of the best foreign transfers in the past decade. Bruno Fernandes was the hero and not for the first time since he’s arrived at Manchester United and scored a brilliant free kick in a game that, at times, felt Hollywood scripted.

Manchester United to go with their brilliant league form march on. As for Liverpool though they have no wins in their last five competitive games and this is worrying times for Jurgen Klopp and his team, who look like they could blow the league title too. Is it possible that after dominating so many competitions in the past 18 months that Liverpool win no silverware this season?

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