Why Manchester United need to keep Jonny Evans next season – opinion | OneFootball

Manchester United is set to face Newcastle United tonight in what will be their final match at Old Trafford this season. This match could serve as a farewell to the Old Trafford crowd for a handful of players whose futures at the club are in doubt.

As mentioned by the Manchester Evening News, Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Tom Heaton, and Jonny Evans could all potentially play their final home match in a Man United jersey depending on where their futures take them.

While Varane’s departure has been officially announced, Casemiro’s time at United also appears to be running out as his performances continue to dip.

Heaton, whose contract is up at the end of the month, has played a minimal role for United, while Martial has been largely absent through injury since his arrival from Monaco in 2015.

One player who could prove to still be worth keeping around, however, is veteran centre-back Jonny Evans.

Despite already being 36 years of age, Evans has proven to be a valuable member of United’s lineup this season. The fact that he returned to United as a free transfer at the start of the season makes him all the more worthwhile.

In 21 Premier League matches which includes 14 starts, Evans has been a rock at the back for United, making one tackle per game, 3.3 clearances per game, and 3.1 ball recoveries per match.

He has proven to be a strong physical presence, taking advantage of his height to win 65% of his aerial duels while winning 55% of his ground duels. Critically, he has not made any errors that led to a goal.

Evans has proven particularly good on the ball for a defender, with an impressive 67% successful dribbles and completing 88% of his passes, which includes 91% accuracy from within his own half. (Stats via Sofascore)

He thus outshines United’s other backup defensive options across numerous metrics. Evans has outperformed Lindelof in tackles per game (0.8) and clearances (2) while proving more effective than Harry Maguire at successful dribbles (0).

Most notably, he outperformed both backup options as well as first-choice defender Lisandro Martinez in ground duels – Martinez won 47%, Lindelof won 41%, and Maguire won 50%.

The United veteran’s impact is even greater when comparing his Premier League and UEFA Champions League performances to other players in the top five European leagues.

Evans ranks within the top 98th percentile in blocks, making 2.06 per game, along with the 89th percentile in clearances with 5.14 per match. (FBRef)

While fresh, young talent at the back is needed for Erik ten Hag’s team, there’s no denying the value that Evans has brought to the lineup this season. After all, he has been an important backup when the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof have been unavailable through injury.

As United have learned the hard way this season, overusing players week in and week out increases their risk of injuries while also negatively affecting their form. When it comes to those less crucial games where some starting 11 players are in needed of a break, a reliable, hard-working backup such as Evans will do well to fortify United’s defence.

Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.