The difference side of Man Utd

1 year ago

Marcus Rashford scored his 28th goal this season when he scored against Brentford in the 25th round of the Premier League on the morning of April 6 (Hanoi time). The English striker made a difference in the day when MU's attack hit a lot in the whole match (18 times) but only 3 times the ball hit the target.

MU returned to familiar values that helped them compete for a place in the top 4: win at Old Trafford and rely on Rashford's goals. The "Red Devils" won the first match in the Premier League after winning the Carabao Cup, thereby rising to 4th with 53 points, 3 points more than Tottenham and one match left.

Rashford makes the difference

There is a remarkable statistic that since MU's 1-0 win over Fulham in November 2022, the "Red Devils" have not won any Premier League matches if Rashford is dead. The goals of the English striker are too important for the Old Trafford team. Most recently in the 0-2 defeat against Newcastle in the 29th round of the Premier League on April 2, Rashford could not score and United did not have any more solutions to score the opponent.

Before Brentford, Rashford was arranged to kick "9" while Wout Weghorst was pushed to the bench. Despite being the only striker in coach Erik ten Hag's 4-1-4-1 system, Rashford still works wide and deep to coordinate with teammates. He passed with 87% accuracy, shot on target twice, touched the ball 48 times and created four scoring opportunities. These are outstanding statistics compared to teammates on the field.

With key players like Christian Eriksen and Casemiro out of action, Ten Hag is forced to rely on the remaining stars like Rashford, Bruno Fernandes or Raphael Varane. Before Brentford, the "Red Devils" played dominating but not too explosive. The Old Trafford team accelerated in the first half and switched to stalking for the remaining 45 minutes to preserve the result.

" Everyone knows MU can't play well week after week. However, the team will not reduce the standard set. We can be more patient when holding the ball, waiting for the right opportunity to press. the pitch, the players also communicate with each other and block the passes to the opponent's striker," said Rashford.

It can be said that Brentford is an opponent to help MU create an important turning point in the 2022/23 season. In the first leg in August 2022, the "Red Devils" lost 0-4 to their away opponent. Coach Erik ten Hag punished his students by punishing the team to run 13.8 km. Since then, MU changed into a more disciplined, united and aspirational collective.

In the rematch at Old Trafford, if MU shows the difference, Brentford is no longer as scary as in the first leg. The away team player lost control of the midfield and lost the dispute in second-ball situations. Detonator Ivan Toney also had a lackluster match when he was accompanied by Varane and Lisandro Martinez. The English striker did not have a shot on target in 90 minutes.

" MU shows an image of desire and enthusiasm. Rashford once again proves his talent. If he keeps that focus and energy, he will continue to score," said coach Ten Hag. after the game.

Efforts in the race for the top 4

MU clearly feels the pressure in the race for the top 4 when competitor Newcastle emerges strongly. Coach Eddie Howe's teachers and students defeated West Ham 5-1 away in the Premier League 7th round match and owned the 4th consecutive victory in the domestic tournament. This achievement helps "Shoot" take the 3rd place on the chart.

Tim Howard, former MU goalkeeper, believes that the old team will still finish the season in the top 4: " Newcastle is having a good season but I think MU will still be able to do it (win tickets to the Champions League). If they can strengthen the midfield, increase depth of positions and help the top scorer play well, the top 4 is within their reach. "

Meanwhile, Rashford also admitted that " finishing the season in the top 4 is the top goal ". Sometimes, MU needs less entertaining victories but maximum efficiency as before Brentford. For the rest of the season, "Red Devils" have to face direct competitors like Tottenham or Brighton away. In addition, confrontations with teams in the relegation group such as Nottingham Forest or Bournemouth also have many potential risks. That's when MU needs to prove its bravery.

src:sportnews