Watford vs Manchester United: 4 key battles | Premier League 2021-22

#3 Joshua King (Watford) vs Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Leicester City vs Manchester United - Premier League

If Bruno Fernandes is the one who pulls the strings for Manchester United in attack, Joshua King does the same for Watford. They both lead their teams in key passes. Fernades' tally of 3.4 per game is double that of King's (1.7).

While King has the advantage in dribbles (0.8 to 0.7) per game, he has double the number of poor touches as Fernandes. The Portuguese also draws more fouls, and is dispossessed less often than King.

King's role under Ranieri has changed to make way for a more fluid attacking dynamic. Ismaila Sarr and Dennis play off him in the wings as he drops back to play key passes.

Fernandes can do more damage just by being the playmaker, with Ronaldo and Mason Greenwood up front. How effectively the United midfielder gets the ball to them could determine how the game pans out.

---

#4 Fred (Manchester United) vs Moussa Sissoko (Watford)

Manchester United vs Atalanta: Group F - UEFA Champions League

Fred might not be the flashiest of players for Manchester United, but he has been the one Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to trust. Fred has delivered more often than not this season.

He has the most tackles for the team (2.2 per game), and has the second-best average passes (55 per game). He has also delivered two long balls per game despite being a defensive midfielder.

Sissoko dons a similar role for Watford, making 1.2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game. He is a much solid defensive player, though, getting dribbled past only 0.3 times per game as compared to Fred's 2.9.

Considering the way the two teams have played, this match might be one that gets decided in the centre of the pitch. That's where attacks are blunted and counters are launched. Fred and Sissoko could play key roles for their teams, and their battle could be an interesting one on the day.