Welcome to another loan round-up, collating the best news and performances of Manchester United’s stars, as they ply their trade away from Old Trafford for a season.
Kicking things off, there can only be one man to star as “loanee of the week” Chicharito. The Mexican Little Pea has had an incredible week for Real Madrid, as he finally displayed to Carlo Ancelotti his value within a star studded galactico line up. After scoring the decisive goal in the Champions League quarter final against rivals Atletico, it is certain the striker won’t be forced to buy his own ‘cerveza’ any time soon. Furthermore, he added to that with a brace at the weekend, as Madrid came from behind to win 4-1 against Celta Vigo. The same cannot be said for Guillermo Varela who is currently on loan at Castilla, Real Madrid’s B-team who drew 2-2, and further slipped down the Segunda B table.
A close second for star of the week, Sam Johnstone kept a clean sheet, as a Joe Garner hat-trick saw Preston run out 3-0 winners against Swindon, and stand a point clear in 2nd place of MK Dons, as they hope to clinch promotion to the Championship this weekend. Also in League One, Barnsley and Ben Pearson look set for mid-table mediocrity, as they visited Valley Parade on the anniversary of the Bradford fire disaster, and went down 1-0 to the hosts.
Into the Championship, and Jesse Lingard’s Derby County continue to scrape into the play-offs, clawing back a 3-1 deficit to draw 3-3 with Millwall. Neither Ben Amos nor Saidy Janko featured in Bolton’s trip to the Dorset coast, as they lost 3-0 as Bournemouth all but secured their Premier League status. Also absent from Huddersfield Town this weekend was young left back, Reece James.
Tom Cleverley had another week to remember as the midfielder netted his first goal in nearly 18 months to ignite an Aston Villa fightback at the Etihad, only for a late Fernandinho winner to force them leaving Manchester empty handed with a 3-2 defeat.
Into Europe and Nani again saw his Sporting side emerge victorious, with a 4-1 win away to Moreinese on Monday night, as Sporting look to secure 3rd place in the Portuguese league. Another forward close to securing the title is Angelo Henriquez, with Dinamo Zagreb grinding out a 1-0 win against bottom side Zadar to sit comfortably at the top of the Croatian League.
That’s it for this week’s round-up, but, with the climax of the Football League this weekend, be sure to tune in next week to see how the stars fair.