Manchester United started their 2019/20 Premier League campaign emphatically by securing a 4-0 win over rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford this evening.
The Red Devils weren’t the better side during the first stage of the game and looked rusty for the most part. However, a foul from Kurt Zouma saw the ref award a penalty – an opportunity Marcus Rashford took with aplomb, scoring the opener for his side. It was a cat and mouse chase afterwards as the first half ended up with a 1-0 scoreline.
Chelsea were awful in defence in the second half, allowing the hosts to seal the game when Anthony Martial scored the second in the 65th minute. They quickly grabbed their third a couple of minutes later through Rashford before new signing Daniel James added more gloss to the scoreline in the 81st minute.
Here are the United players rated in their incredible victory over the Blues this evening.
David de Gea 7
Did well to deny Ross Barkley towards the end of the first half. But, the Spaniard wasn’t forced to make any notable saves afterwards, aside from those tame long-range efforts. A relatively comfortable game for de Gea.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka 9
An incredible Premier League debut for his new club as the right-back provided defensive assurance on the right flank. But more importantly, he also offered extensive attacking support and combined well with his teammates, making him one of the best performers of the evening.
Victor Lindelof 8
Helped Manchester United retain a clean sheet with a couple of excellent tackles. His passing was also top-notch as it helped his team play out from the back.
Harry Maguire 8.5
A rock at the back, Maguire restricted the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount from making any fuss in the United defensive half. The English international won more aerial duels than anyone else on the pitch. Distributed the ball pretty well too.
Luke Shaw 7.5
A solid defensive performance from the ex-Southampton star, who kept Pedro shut throughout the entirety of the game. Not as effective as Wan-Bissaka though.
Scott McTominay 9
Augmented the midfield with his superb passing and excellent positional awareness. The Scot rarely made any mistake and did well to nestle through tight spaces, preventing the opposition from causing any turnovers in the middle third of the pitch. Totally outclassed the Chelsea midfielders.
Paul Pogba 8.5
Looked committed, despite the speculations linking him to a move away from Old Trafford. The Frenchman’s ability to keep hold of the ball under pressure was useful, especially in half-spaces. Also provide two assists, one of which originated from an exquisite through ball in behind the defence to free Rashford for the third goal.
Jesse Lingard 7
Didn’t enjoy as good a time as some of his other teammates but worked hard nonetheless. He was replaced by Juan Mata later on.
Andreas Pereira 8
Showcased his work-ethic and tenacity by winning numerous balls in midfield and initiating several counter-attacks. Also helped the team create more chances in the final third. The Brazilian star is undoubtedly a better option than his compatriot Fred, it seems.
Marcus Rashford 9
Stamped his mark on the game early on when he converted the penalty in the 18th minute to score the opener. Caused havoc for the opposition defence with his pace and dynamism as well as some clever runs in behind the backline.
Anthony Martial 8
Repaid Solskjaer’s faith by putting a valiant display in the false number nine role. The Frenchman made numerous runs in behind the defence that unsettled the Chelsea backline, allowing more freedom for the likes of Pereira and Rashford. Scored the second of the evening.
SUBSTITUTES
Daniel James 8
Had a dream start to his Manchester United career by scoring the fourth not long after coming on. He was, however, lucky with the deflection. But, the goal will surely give him the confidence to move on and become a vital part of the United attack.
Mason Greenwood N/A
Came on for a tiring Rashford in the 84th minute.
Juan Mata N/A
An 84th-minute replacement for Lingard.
