Manchester United Falter Again: Player Ratings Revealed

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EPL Index

·4 October 2023

Manchester United Falter Again: Player Ratings Revealed

Manchester United’s Bitter Symphony at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s journey in the 2023 season remains a challenging odyssey, as was exemplified by the discordant 3-2 setback against Galatasaray in a gripping Champions League saga.

United’s Highs and Lows

Tuesday night was nothing short of theatrical. United, led by the orchestrations of Erik ten Hag, once again found themselves wrestling with inconsistency. Rasmus Hojlund was the shining beacon amidst a dimmed constellation of stars. His impeccable rhythm, as he took the lead for United twice, was the melodic counter to the otherwise discordant evening.

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Casemiro, often seen as the midfield maestro, had a night to forget, getting shown the exit in a rash moment, much like a conductor losing his tempo. Similarly, the usually reliable Andre Onana’s evening was out of tune, like a pianist missing a key, leading to a series of cacophonous moments.

Galatasaray’s Resurgence

As United started on a high note, the drama unfolded with Casemiro’s majestic assist to Rashford. The English forward’s meticulous cross found Hojlund, who harmoniously netted the ball. But like any great symphony, there were crescendos and decrescendos.

Wilfried Zaha, a familiar face at Old Trafford and an icon in his own right, orchestrated a solo, outplaying Dalot and getting past Onana to bring Galatasaray level.

The narrative of the game was reminiscent of a duet, with both teams trading blows. Rashford, for all his prowess, missed a beat, but Hojlund was quick to find the rhythm, capitalising on a slip by Davinson Sanchez.

However, the crescendo was Galatasaray’s to claim. Kerem Akturkoglu, who was largely unnoticed, soon became the instrumentalist everyone had their eyes on. Assisted by Baris Yilmaz, Akturkoglu’s goal preceded Onana’s monumental gaffe, putting Dries Mertens in the spotlight. Although Mauro Icardi faltered initially, his goal in the 81st minute was a poetic adagio, as United’s defence crumbled like a house of cards.

Manchester United’s Player Breakdown

Starting XI

Andre Onana (2/10): A night marred by yet another critical misstep during the Champions League campaign.
Diogo Dalot (4/10): While the yellow card in the initial half was an impediment, he managed to avoid getting completely overwhelmed by Zaha’s antics.
Raphael Varane (4/10): Missed his usually graceful handling of the ball.
Victor Lindelof (5/10): Made a few crucial interventions but didn’t inspire much trust in an already unsteady defence.
Sofyan Amrabat (4/10): Worked tirelessly across the pitch, but often found himself misplaced defensively.
Casemiro (2/10): Despite his commendable efforts, the red card overshadowed his performance. A moment Onana would want to forget.
Mason Mount (5/10): Was consistently in the frontline, though failed to capitalise on the pivotal moments.
Hannibal Mejbri (3/10): Short-lived appearance, but a notable defensive act prevented Mount’s shot on target.
Bruno Fernandes (5/10): Remained on the peripheral of the action, mostly limited to the wide regions.
Rasmus Hojlund (8/10): Living up to his moniker, ‘the Hellhound’, he proved a menace that Galatasaray struggled to restrain.
Marcus Rashford (6/10): Displayed brilliance in setting up Hojlund, but his latter half of the game left more to be desired.

Substitutes

Christien Eriksen (7/10): Entered post interval and brought a semblance of stability to the chaotic middle of the park.
Alejandro Garnacho (5/10): A decent shift.
Antony (5/10): Made his mark within a limited window.
Anthony Martial: A brief appearance, hard to judge.

On Standby: Vitek (GK), Bayindir (GK), Evans, Maguire, McTominay, Pellistri