The 2019/20 campaign has been a roller coaster ride for Manchester United and their fans. A season which began with so much promise after humiliating Chelsea 4-0 in the very first match has not gone according to the plan in the coming months.
Manchester United’s progress this season has been halted mainly by injuries to their star players such as Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Scott Mctominay at crucial junctures, which have affected the playing style of the team and the overall results.
The Red Devils lack depth on the bench which showed against defensive-minded teams as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men struggled to penetrate them.
However, things are looking brighter after the signing of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January. In addition, Rashford and Pogba possibly being fit for the remainder of the season is sure to make the United fans happy.
Here are five hits and flops from Manchester United’s 2019-20 campaign.
#1 Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Hit)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was signed by Manchester United from Crystal Palace last summer, began his career with the Eagles and was named the club’s Player of the Year for the 2018-19 campaign.
Wan-Bissaka loves to tackle and defend but is not that great going forward. He is considered one of the best in the Premier League when it comes to one-on-one defending. What makes him so effective is his ability to quickly shift his position from one direction to another.
With Manchester United spending big bucks on a young right-back, the 22-year-old was always going to be heavily scrutinised. However, Wan-Bissaka hasn’t disappointed at all and has been one of the best players for his team this season with 145 recoveries and 99 tackles so far.
#2 Jesse Lingard (Flop)
Jesse Lingard has been a permanent fixture in the Manchester United team for the last few years. However, for the past 18 months, he has been mostly on the sidelines and his Manchester United career looks as good as over, with the 27-year-old failing to register even a single goal or assist in the Premier League this season.
Lingard has been provided with ample opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but he has disappointed big time. He is one of the players who are most likely to move out of Old Trafford at the end of the season.
#3 Fred (Hit)
Fred’s story has been of resilience and hard work this season. A player who was signed by Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2018, Fred hardly showed any promise in his first season at Old Trafford.
His performances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however, have made the fans believe in him again as the Brazilian has improved beyond expectations.
Fred has dictated the midfield for United this season and is the main catalyst for their impressive wins over Manchester City, Chelsea and Leicester City.
Fred is key to line breaks and relief receptions in each third for United. He has improved massively on his numbers from last season and Manchester United fans are happy to be proved wrong by his performances.
#4 Andreas Pereira (Flop)
Andreas Pereira has been always considered a talented player and was touted to play for Manchester United after joining their academy in 2011. However, after two loan spells in Spain with Granada and Valencia respectively, the Brazil international has flattered to deceive at Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
He has managed just two goals and four assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United this season. The numbers are extremely poor, especially because he has mostly played as a playmaker for the Red Devils.
#5 Marcus Rashford (Hit)
Marcus Rashford is arguably the most talented player in the Manchester United squad and even at the age of 22, he is a vital member of the team.
Rashford was always considered a hot prospect, however, his performances under Jose Mourinho were frustrating, to say the least.
Fast forward to one-and-a-half years and under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Rashford burst into life and was scoring goals for fun. Before his unfortunate back injury, Rashford appeared 22 times in the Premier League this season, scoring 14 times and setting up four more.
It’s safe to say that Manchester United’s chances of finishing in the top four largely depends on Rashford’s form and availability up front.
Follow us on facebook for more sports news & updates