Man Utd's £47m star deserves as much praise as Garnacho and Mainoo

Man Utd’s £47m star deserves as much praise as Garnacho and Mainoo

Manchester United roared back into form with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a disgruntled Everton side who are now fighting for survival in the Premier League following their ten-point deduction.

Remarkably, the win leaves United just six points off the summit and considering how poor they have been in large spells this term, if Erik ten Hag can summon up a good spell between now and Christmas, they could challenge for the top four easily.

Ten Hag’s midfield was dominant against the Toffees, and it was a couple of young talents who really stood out, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Garnacho and Mainoo’s game vs Everton

Where to start with the Argentinian? Firstly, he scores one of the greatest overhead kicks the Premier League has ever seen to open the scoring while also causing chaos for the opposition backline, succeeding with 50% of his dribble attempts and taking another two shots.

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Despite his tender age, the winger sparkled, and he could be given another start when the Red Devils travel to Turkey to play Galatasaray.

Mainoo was also excellent at the heart of the United midfield. His performance led Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst to award him a rating of 8/10 whilst also declaring him ‘man of the match’ for his troubles.

The statistics back it up. The youngster won 60% of his ground duels during the tie along with making two interceptions and succeeding with 66% of his dribble attempts, demonstrating his ability to impress across a range of metrics.

His display could give Ten Hag a selection headache going forward, but the star of the show was Bruno Fernandes, as the Portuguese maestro showcased his class.

Bruno Fernandes’ game vs Everton in numbers

Fernandes’ game was summed up with the fact he sacrificed penalty duties to allow Marcus Rashford the chance to score his first league goal since September and this display of unity proves the Red Devils might not be as fractured as some make out.

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The Englishman made no mistake from the spot, thus giving the club a two-goal advantage. The 29-year-old also made three key passes during the match while creating a further big chance and his attacking qualities were on full display in a match where all three points could prove to be a catalyst for the club.

The £47m gem was also strong in his one-on-one battles, winning 66% of his total duels throughout the tie and despite his pass success rate dipping below 85% (40/49), it didn’t make much of a difference when it came to the final result.

Perhaps not a scintillating performance, but the fact he relinquished penalty duties to aid a teammate speaks volumes and his presence in the number ten role will also ensure the Old Trafford side creates chances during a match.

Ten Hag must use this display and build on it ahead of facing Galatasaray on Wednesday evening, especially with so much riding on the outcome of the match.

A win could see them boost their chances of qualification for the last 16. A loss, however, and they might have to settle for the Europa League.