Manchester United secured their spot in the Europa League final last night with a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford against Athletic Club, following their success in the first leg.
Goals from Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, and Casemiro ensured the win for Ruben Amorim’s team, setting up a matchup against fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The 7-1 aggregate win highlighted the Red Devils’ clinical performance, which they must replicate to claim the title at the end of the month.
A subsequent victory in Bilbao would guarantee Champions League football for the club, providing a remarkable conclusion to what has been a challenging season on the field. However, despite the decisive win, several players underperformed at the Theatre of Dreams, potentially jeopardizing their positions in the team.
United’s poor performers against Athletic Club
Following Diogo Dalot’s injury, Noussair Mazraoui was compelled to assume an unfamiliar right wing-back position, primarily functioning within the back three since Amorim’s tenure began.
The Moroccan was unable to secure any of the tackles he attempted and lost all of the ground duels he engaged in, marking last night’s performance as a regrettable one for the ex-Bayern Munich player. He was not the only one to underperform, as forward Alejandro Garnacho also fell significantly short of the high standards he has established for himself at United.
The young player succeeded in completing only one of his three dribble attempts and managed just a single shot on goal, failing to increase his scoring tally in Europe this season.
Nevertheless, despite the disappointing performances from these two players, another star from the Red Devils also failed to make an impact, potentially becoming a new iteration of a previous disappointment at Old Trafford.
The United player who’s becoming the new Amrabat
Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat joined United with great expectations for success last season, but ultimately did not meet those expectations during his loan period at the club.
The Moroccan, who was loaned from Fiorentina, made 30 appearances across all competitions, frequently coming off the bench in the latter stages of matches.
Despite his lackluster performances, he proved to be valuable in closing out games, successfully regaining possession and winning 60% of his tackles at Old Trafford. Currently, Amorim has discovered a similar player in 28-year-old Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, who once again failed to make a significant impression last night.
The former PSG player has shown promise in his early tenure at the club, mirroring Amrabat’s ability to recover the ball for the Red Devils. Last night was no exception, as he won two tackles and seven duels, effectively disrupting play in the midfield and contributing to the team’s victory.
However, when in possession, he struggled to make a substantial impact, losing the ball 15 times and completing only 67% of his attempted passes. Ugarte also succeeded in only 50% of his dribbles and did not register a single key pass, resulting in minimal influence on the team’s scoring efforts.
Consequently, the midfielder received a disappointing match rating of 4/10 from Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, underscoring his poor performance during the win.
After such a showing, it’s safe to say the Uruguayan could be on borrowed time within the starting eleven, with other options needing to be considered ahead of the final.
With nothing left to play for in the league, Amorim can use the matches as an opportunity to trial other players in such a role to bolster their ambitions of claiming the trophy in the coming weeks.
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