Mighty Bruno gives United hope for title run next season
M.E.N. Sport’s SAMUEL LUCKHURST’S United ratings for the campaign
■ DAVID DE GEA
COST United against Crystal Palace and Watford and was culpable for goals in the draws with Tottenham and Everton. Still kept 13 clean sheets in his worst season for United and was recalled for the Europa League semi-final ........................... 5
■ AARON WAN-BISSAKA
DEFENSIVELY, Wan-Bissaka was nigh-on flawless and is a major factor behind their improved defensive record. Became more attack-minded in the second half of the season and already cheap at £50m, but he tired in the run-in and was culpable for Sevilla’s winner. . 7
■ DIOGO DALOT
A WRITE-OFF of another season where he was struck down by injury. Drained of confidence by the arrival of Wan-Bissaka, started once in the league and Timothy Fosu-Mensah was preferred ahead of him. Travelled to Cologne but was unfit ....... 1
■ TIMOTHY FOSU-MENSAH
CAME back from the dead to make his first United appearance in over three years and did okay at Crystal Palace. Things went south against West Ham and he was substituted at half-time .......................................... 2
■ VICTOR LINDELOF
OVERALL, a season of regression and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was too loyal to him amid errors that led to goals. Saved his best until last in the league to neuter Jamie Vardy ........ 5
■ HARRY MAGUIRE
HIS presence alone improved the United defence but it was not a stellar individual season. Maguire’s standout performance was on his debut against Chelsea and United conceded 18 goals fewer than last season. First United outfield player since Gary Pallister to start every league match in a season .............. 6
■ ERIC BAILLY
MISSED the first six months and made an emphatic return in the pivotal win at Chelsea in February. Unfortunate not to have started ahead of Lindelof at times in the league and got more playing time in Europe ............................................. 5
■ AXEL TUANZEBE
TUANZEBE was third-choice centre-half a year ago and played encouragingly against Astana, Arsenal and Newcastle, and also captained the club against Rochdale. Suffered an injury in the warm-up against Liverpool and never started again in the league.
Missed all of the post-lockdown games through another injury ...... 4
■ PHIL JONES
LASTED 45 minutes in the Bramall Lane maelstrom and in the XI for the home humbling by Burnley. Not played since January and has outstayed his welcome ................... 1
■ MARCOS ROJO
ONLY started against Liverpool because Tuanzebe pulled up. Decided to go on holiday to Argentina for nearly a month before he joined Estudiantes on loan and still sunning himself out there with one fit reserve centre-half available ..... 1
■ LUKE SHAW
SPENT over three months out injured and never got going until late January. Once he did, Shaw was almost as totemic as Bruno Fernandes and a revelation at left centre-back ..................................... 7
■ BRANDON WILLIAMS
CAME out of nowhere following Shaw’s injury and started in some of United’s most vital games. More accomplished going forward and became a defensive liability in the Europa League knockouts ............. 7
■ NEMANJA MATIC
STARTED twice in the first half of the season but became indispensable from late January onwards and his importance was reflected by a new three-year contract. Strangely sat out the knockouts in Cologne . 7
■ FRED
ENDURED a slow start but then started 23 games in succession and was a frontrunner for the United player of the year award. Isolated by Solskjaer’s tactics at Tottenham, he lost his place to Paul Pogba shortly after the restart but returned for the Europa League and was arguably their best player against Sevilla .... 8
■ SCOTT McTOMINAY
ONE of the most consistent performers during United’s inconsistent form and chipped in with key goals. After injury on Boxing Day he only made three league starts but still had good impacts .................... 7
■ PAUL POGBA
WENT over eight months without a start but his form post-lockdown was excellent up until the Southampton game. United’s top-four challenge would have been more comfortable with a more available Pogba but he could not inspire them in Europe ......................................... 6
■ BRUNO FERNANDES
ONE of the best mid-season sign
ings in recent memory. Contributed 12 goals and eight assists and United are unbeaten in the league with Fernandes in the side. His influence goes well beyond penalty-taking and if they had signed him in the summer United would have been nearer City in second place ........... 9
■ JESSE LINGARD
FIRST full season he has failed to break double-figures for league starts. Had positive impacts in the early December wins over Tottenham and City and secured third place with his first league goal since December 2018 at Leicester but has had a season to forget and did little in the cups ....................................... 3
■ JUAN MATA
BY far and away his most uninvolved season in the Premier League and the first he failed to score in. United won two of the eight Mata started in and he saved his best for the Europa League, where his creativity enriched United ...... 6
■ ANDREAS PEREIRA
PLAYED regularly in the first five months after United failed to replace Ander Herrera and Romelu Lukaku. behind the More striker comfortable but suffered playing in midfield and on the wing. Made two cameos in United’s last 12 games and became so peripheral he did not start the home leg against LASK ................................................ 3
■ DANIEL JAMES
DEFIED all expectations in the first four months but then suffered poor form he has still not arrested and it is difficult to imagine him becoming a regular again soon ................ 6
■ MASON GREENWOOD STARTED his first full season aged 17 and scored crucial goals against Sheffield United, Everton, Bournemouth and West Ham as he hit
double figures. Greenwood ended the season a first-teamer with 17 goals ................................................. 9
■ MARCUS RASHFORD
DID not miss as many matches as first feared due to lockdown and was having the season of his life up until a mid-January injury. His form after football’s abeyance was largely dismal and Solskjaer was too loyal to him .................................................. 7
■ ANTHONY MARTIAL
FINISHED with identical league stats to Rashford: 17 goals in 31 starts. Martial had the more impressive league campaign in that the majority of his strikes came in the run-in and there were significant winners against Chelsea and City. Also scored some key goals in the Europa League and developing into a world-class number nine ........... 8
■ ODION IGHALO
NO starts and no goals in the league and there were a plethora of missed chances along the way, but Ighalo’s game-management was immaculate in the derby and he helped ease the workload on Martial. Netted five in his first four starts in the cups... 6