Manchester Evening News

Neymar the Wan to watch for Aaron

- By ELLIOTT JACKSON

AARON Wan-Bissaka has named Neymar as the toughest opponent he has faced.

The United defender squared up against the Brazilian twice during the Champions League group stages earlier this season.

Whilst Wan-Bissaka kept Neymar quiet during the first fixture in Paris, the 29-year-old found the net twice at Old Trafford as PSG ran out 3-1 winners.

As a result, it’s little surprise the Englishman named Neymar as the trickiest winger he’s duelled with in his career to date. He said: “Neymar was a player that was quite challengin­g, but I was always up for it, and I enjoyed it, the experience, to be playing against him. That meant a lot.

“He’s a player that likes to draw fouls, and so for me, if I’m up against him, the task is just not to give him any fouls because that’s what he wants.”

Wan-Bissaka has earned plaudits for his defence-first approach at right-back, a trait often found to be the weakest area of a modern-day full-back.

“Defenders are most likely [to be] targeted on the pitch, to be taken on,”

Wan-Bissaka explained, when asked about his defending.

“That comes down to concentrat­ion, awareness, and it’s something you have to be prepared for the whole 90 minutes.

“For me, I mainly look at what foot they are.

“That will be the main informatio­n that I’ll need, and it’s just about timing, showing them onto their weaker side and then taking it from there.

“Concentrat­ion [is key]. It’s not always about diving in; it’s to wait for their move rather than me making the first move.”

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