This past week has been a positive one for Manchester United. Especially considering the week previous that saw the Red Devils kickstart the Premier League season with a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace. However, things now look a little better.
A Positive Week for Manchester United
Two Wins
Clearly, the most important thing for a club of Manchester United’s stature is winning. Having gone into the week off the back of a loss to Crystal Palace, the search for the letter W in the record book was ever-more important. Manchester United cannot be starting a Premier League season with games against Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion and losing both.
In midweek, United recorded a 3-0 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Perhaps flattered by the scoreline, though. Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford came on late to add to United’s 1-0 lead. A lead that was only just kept alive by Dean Henderson and Eric Bailly‘s efforts moments before. Progression to the Carabao Cup fourth round was achieved, where they will meet Brighton (a).
The league game turned out a lot more worrying. It’s not crazy to suggest Brighton were the better team, they were. It would be wrong to suggest Manchester United deserved one point from this game, let alone three. They got three though and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.
Amazingly, after Solly March‘s headed equaliser that stabbed through the chest of every United supporter, forced to watch the game from their sofa’s, United went up the other end to eventually score the winner, from the penalty spot, after the full-time whistle.
“We’ve got to be honest enough to say they created the most chances,” manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer conceded after the game. “They had loads of shots, they had big chances. We need to improve a lot in the weeks coming forward.
“We got away with one. Maybe one point we deserved, we didn’t deserve more,” Ole admitted.
It sounds crazy, it was.
Football. That’s it. That’s the tweet.#MUFC #BHAMUN pic.twitter.com/Qea461Pa40
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 26, 2020
Dean Henderson Delivers
A huge positive for Manchester United, goalkeeper Dean Henderson showed the club something they have longed to see from him. The ability to have very little to do for the majority of the game and come up with a save out of nowhere. He did that against Luton Town on Tuesday night, making a spectacular last-ditch save, keeping United out of trouble.
At 23-years-old, he made his Manchester United debut. Something he has always dreamed of and will never forget. Plenty more appearances to come if he keeps that up.
I dreamt about this my whole life!! Unbelievable feeling to make my debut for the club I love!! Clean sheet and a win to top it off!!! 🔜🔛🔝 pic.twitter.com/BzfrZEAEHt
— Dean Henderson (@deanhenderson) September 22, 2020
To add to that, the decision to keep Henderson at the club, avoiding another loan exit, is already suggesting David de Gea is upping his game.
Last week, De Gea saved a penalty, something he hasn’t done for United in quite some time. Sadly, that was taken off the record though with VAR intervention. A correct decision ultimately, based on the rules currently in place.
He also made an important close-range save from Leandro Trossard during the Brighton game. Signs there is still a top, top goalkeeper there.
De Gea also found some form on international duty for Spain weeks ago, when putting up a man of the match worthy showing in the game against Germany.
He has also said that he feels better than he ever has. Competition brings the best out of the best.
Away From Manchester United
Whilst there have been positives at Old Trafford in recent weeks, there has been a positive this week away from Manchester. James Garner, on loan at Watford, shone this weekend as they recorded a 1-0 win over Luton Town in their Championship clash this weekend. Garner only made his debut from the bench last weekend and has already managed to impress.
Big shoutout to James Garner. Looked composed on the ball today. Went about his job professionally and oozed confidence and guile. Looks very impressive 👏👏#watfordfc
— Hornet Shane (@HornetShane) September 26, 2020
Dylan Levitt is also shining out on loan. He had his first ‘proper’ League One game, in the words of Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer, on Sunday.
Bowyer was impressed with the Wales international’s performance, despite taking him off after 77 minutes of their 2-0 loss to Lincoln City.
“I thought Dylan in his first proper league game, there was a lot to be happy (about) in his performance – his range of passing and awareness,” Bowyer told Charlton Athletic’s website.
Youngsters Show Fight
Conceding five goals to Liverpool in a home game is never something Manchester United want to shout about. However, at youth level, the focus is more on the development of the fantastic talent at United’s disposal. On Friday night they made an impression. Manchester United’s relatively young U23 side found themselves 3-0 and 5-1 down, but fought back, with both teams down to 10-men to finish, all be it the losers, at 5-3. A loss is disappointing, but the fight shown to get those goals back will have particularly pleased the coaches.
FT — #MUAcademy U23s: #MUFC 3 Liverpool 5
A much-improved second half for our young U23s side, with goals from Hannibal and McCann. The game will be an important learning curve in the #PL2. pic.twitter.com/rpTP8OTg9O
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 25, 2020
After the loan departures of Matej Kovar, James Garner, Dylan Levitt, Aliou Traore & Tahith Chong, as well as, the permanent exit of Angel Gomes, the U23 side looks very different. With a lot of the team having moved up from U18 level. So this is an important time for those players.
Another positive, Joe Hugill, who United signed from Sunderland, scored a brace on his U18 debut against Blackburn Rovers in the previous Saturday and made his U23 debut from the bench after Mark Helm picked up a knock in Friday night’s game.
Main Photo
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