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The race for the top four in the Premier League is well and truly on after Manchester United beat Tottenham 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday. It was an evenly fought contest that saw both teams stay in it for a decent amount of time.
Tottenham maintained higher possession as United got six shots on target compared to the former’s three. It was a night, however, for Cristiano Ronaldo, who grabbed all the headlines. He scored a hat-trick and became the highest-ever goalscorer in football history with 807 goals.
While United’s performance was definitely not top-notch, they showed a hunger to win, coming off of a disappointing derby loss to Manchester City last week. The Red Devils are fourth in the league, two points ahead of Arsenal, but the latter have four matches in hand.
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Saturday’s performance will have to be the start of a big run of wins if United are to make it to the Champions League next season.
In this article, we present five talking points from the game last night as Manchester United defeated Tottenham Hotspur.
#5 Jadon Sancho has finally arrived
Despite a slow start to his time at Manchester United, Jadon Sancho looks every bit the player he was at Borussia Dortmund. The England international has had a tough time since joining the Red Devils last summer for €85 million.
However, Sancho shrugged off all the criticism as he has been putting in world-class performances in recent matches.
He followed up his immaculate goal against Manchester City with a breathtaking performance against Spurs. Sancho started on the left-wing and instantly proved to be a menace for Matt Doherty and Cristian Romero.
The 21-year-old not only assisted Ronaldo’s second goal but also had 90 percent pass accuracy. He completed 38 out of his 42 passes. His defensive work rate was also commendable as he tracked back to help Alex Telles.
Overall, Sancho had a superb game and was surely one of the best performers on the pitch alongside Ronaldo and Fred.
#4. Pogba’s inconsistency hurt the Manchester United midfield
Paul Pogba dawned on the footballing world a new look, with a shaved head. Many fans wished his performance would be as shiny and smooth as his scalp. Unfortunately, it was quite the opposite.
His performance was slow and lackluster as he failed to make his mark in the match. The only thing of note from the Frenchman was a turn and shot near Tottenham’s penalty area in the first half. No one can argue that Pogba has both the skill and the finesse to pull off excellent matches, but he hardly seems to deliver.
He failed to become the anchor in midfield as he was too slow in transition. This led to a gap opening up, something Tottenham exploited in their second goal.
Pogba also had a meager 77 percent pass completion, having attempted 45 passes. He was also dispossessed three times. Defensively, he committed three fouls, got a yellow card, and had zero interceptions.
It is safe to say that the World Cup winner could have taken advantage of the absence of Bruno Fernandes due to illness. He could've given Rangnick a headache before team selection ahead of the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid. But he failed to do so.
#3. Fred enjoyed himself in a role further up the midfield
One man who certainly enjoyed his time at the heart of the midfield was Fred. His immaculate energy combined with a defensive work rate made him very effective for Manchester United.
The Brazilian delivered a sublime backheel to set up Ronaldo’s first goal. He also had an impressive defensive output when combined with Nemanja Matic. It was a clear ploy from United and Rangnick to drop Fred deep when Tottenham were attacking. A ploy which most certainly worked as he had two clearances and two blocks to go along with a solitary interception.
Offensively, his assist has already been talked about. He also made three key passes and attempted four dribbles as he ran riot in midfield.
As a deep-lying midfielder, Fred is certainly prone to his bad days. He sometimes comes off as a headless chicken and contributes little to nothing to the United midfield. But as a No. 8, his mettle is more than proven in the Manchester United setup.
#2. Harry Maguire needs to be benched
The only thing consistent about Manchester United’s rather inconsistent season has been the dismal performances of Harry Maguire. He was once again the centerpiece on the mantel as he scored an own goal to bring Tottenham level at 2-2 in the 72nd minute.
The United captain looked well off the pace as he failed to cover for Harry Kane’s runs. His defensive positioning was such that in transition, Maguire always found himself in the middle of nowhere. This indecision directly led to the second goal.
On the plus side, the former Leicester City man was dribbled past only once in the entire game and had four interceptions. He also had a very productive passing range and depth. Sadly, the job he should be known for, his defense, was lacking.
Maguire has been in poor form throughout the season. He has looked a shadow of the player he was last season.
Manchester United are set to host Atletico Madrid this Tuesday in the Champions League. Maguire’s slow movement in and around the box and poor positioning can prove to be fatal against the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez.
#1. Cristiano Ronaldo is far from being the problem at Manchester United
Naysayers and critics, along with certain portions of the Manchester United fan base, have been hot on Ronaldo’s heels. Many have called him the problem at Manchester United this season.
However, he notched up his second-ever hattrick in a United shirt against Spurs, 14 years and two months after he scored his first. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner proved that he is more than capable of digging the Red Devils out of this mud.
A Man of the Match performance saw the 37-year-old have eight shots at Hugo Lloris’ goal, out of which five were on target. His first goal was an absolute pitch-perfect strike which threw fans back to the vintage Ronaldo of the 2007-08 season.
Ronaldo was only dispossessed once in the entire game and had a passing accuracy of 95 percent. It is also the second-highest among all United players who started the game after Nemanja Matic.
Ronaldo found the perfect way to answer his critics as he showed why he is still a vital player. If Manchester United are to progress in the UCL and get a top-four finish, there is no other player who can get them there than Ronaldo.
What did you make of Manchester United's performance against Tottenham? Let us know in the comments section below.
