Christian Eriksen:
Critically, the place would United be with out this man? Eriksen’s presence from recreation to recreation is not one which slaps you within the face, nevertheless it’s completely essential to every thing Ten Hag is making an attempt to instil in his crew. His vary of passing is elegant, his press resistance second to none, and he has a watch for purpose to tie all of it collectively. He is performed out of place nearly all season as a deep-lying playmaker and has nonetheless been United’s greatest participant of 2022-23 to this point. Arriving on a free switch, Eriksen is the participant Paul Pogba was meant to be. The Dane represents top-of-the-line items of enterprise they’ve ever completed.
Marcus Rashford:
‘Like Manchester, Rashford is crimson’ rang across the partitions of Outdated Trafford a number of instances on the night time, and understandably so. United’s star man is again. Rashford’s head is up as soon as once more and he seems to be fully reborn beneath Ten Hag. It has been an extremely tough few years for him battling harm and inconsistency, whereas additionally breaking into the crew in one of many membership’s most tough durations in current instances. Nevertheless, there isn’t any sunshine with out rain, and the redemption arc seems to be stronger than ever. When Rashford is operating at you full pelt, throwing in his vibrant pallet of abilities and letting half a watch check out purpose, you are in hassle. The purpose he scored to place United 2-0 up exhibits simply how harmful he might be when on kind. The subsequent step for him now’s clearly to show this right into a constant function of his recreation. However from what we have seen of the 25-year-old beneath Ten Hag, it is turning into simpler and simpler to consider that it’s going to occur.
David de Gea:
For all the discourse surrounding De Gea and his missing means to play in a possession-based facet, watching Martin Dubravka for United served as a well timed reminder that you just should not take the Spaniard without any consideration. It additionally exhibits that, whereas nonetheless not good, De Gea has improved with the ball at his ft. The veteran stopper supplies a way more calming presence behind his defenders and barely makes such foolish errors. In a time the place everyone seems to be determined for goalkeepers to do every thing from saving, to passing, to being penalty-takers, De Gea is ideal at doing his job and nothing extra. He’ll rack up loads of factors for United within the second half of the season, as he so usually has completed.