Net gain for Reds as Dean will sit out Blades clash
WHILE it’s not been an outstanding season for United, things are starting to look up.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side now have five victories in their last six games, conceding just four goals in the process as we head into the international break.
But it’s been an even better season for loanee goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who is plying his trade with Sheffield United for a second season.
The Blades are flying high after securing an impressive point at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, leaving them fifth in the table – and Henderson, who has five clean sheets to his name, in a better position than his parent club.
But the 22-year-old will be missing from the Sheffield United side which faces the Reds.
Solskjaer’s men travel to Bramall Lane on Sunday November 24 for the first game back after the break, and the conditions of Henderson’s season-long loan mean he’s ineligible to face his parent club.
United agreed to allow Henderson to rejoin Chris Wilder’s side on loan in the summer after he helped them win promotion. The highly-rated goalkeeper, who has also been called into the England squad for their upcoming qualifiers, also signed a new three-year United contract.
Henderson said at the time: “I cannot wait to enjoy a full season of Premier League football which I know will be hugely beneficial for my career.”
The Blades are likely to call upon second-choice keeper Simon Moore for the United game. The former Cardiff City shot-stopper has been a regular on the bench for Wilder’s side this season and will hope to continue Sheffield United’s solid defensive record this season against Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and company.
FRED looked as though he had decided his own United destiny this summer when he asked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for permission to miss part of the pre-season tour for his wedding.
Things hadn’t gone to plan for the Brazilian under Jose Mourinho and with the change of management personnel it looked as though it would be the perfect opportunity for the midfielder to start afresh.
United clearly saw something in the 26-year-old to warrant paying more than £50m for him last year, but up until now fans have been wondering exactly why he was deemed the answer to the midfield problems that have plagued the club for a while.
Paul Pogba’s injury has given Solskjaer little choice but to start the Brazilian and after a run of starts in the past few games he has started to show glimpses of why Mourinho was happy to bring him to Old Trafford.
And while he’s impressed alongside Scott McTominay deep in United’s midfield in the past few weeks, it was his display against Brighton that was the most dominant. The 26-year-old was as impressive defensively as he was going forward and found himself directly involved in two of United’s goals. His defence-splitting pass to James out on the right started the move which led to the opener from Andreas Pereira.
And he barely put a pass wrong all game.
His attitude and commitment to fight back into the team had been questioned, but there was no questioning his desire at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon and it was the Brazilian who was geeing his team-mates up after they conceded a sloppy goal in the second half.
Gesticulating for his team to carry on pushing, what came in the following 10 minutes was the best play of United’s game.
Another defence-splitting pass from the Brazilian, this time for Anthony Martial who set up for Marcus Rashford for United’s third to put the game to bed and secure an important three points for Solskjaer’s side ahead of the international break.
And he was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself when Mathew Ryan fumbled his shot from 25 yards out onto the crossbar.
When Pogba makes his longawaited return from injury, he will walk back into the starting XI. But Fred’s rise and commanding performance against Brighton, pulling the strings in midfield, have given Solskjaer a final piece to his midfield jigsaw - for now. Fred’s resurgent form should not be a deterrent for United strengthening in the middle in the coming transfer windows, but it gives Solskjaer options in the middle of the pitch that haven’t been available to him before.
Scott McTominay’s been one of the standout performers for United already this season and if Fred can continue to build on his performance against Brighton and with Pogba coming back from injury, then Solskjaer has the makings of a midfield trio that could impose.