Manchester United wanted nothing but a win and three points from this game and this is exactly what they got. United controlled the play in the first half and in the second half they scored the goals which sealed the victory.
Wayne Rooney started up front and was in goal-scoring form for the reds. The skipper scored two goals to net his first goals in 2015. Rooney’s goals allowed United to seal the 3rd spot in the league (for now at least). We look at the key talking from the Manchester United – Sunderland game which ended in a 2-0 win for the homeside.
Angel Di Maria feeling out of position & fans are becoming restless at Old Trafford
Di Maria has been the most expensive player in British football history, coming for a whopping 59 million. Ever since his early few weeks in England, the player has been heavily criticized for the lacklustre performances he has put in. Di Maria recently came out and confessed he has not been playing well.
Many would put it directly on the player, but that is not entirely correct here. Di maria has been forced to play in his not-so-natural positions lately and he has failed to adapt to Van Gaal’s tactics. The Argentine is one of the most dynamic players in the world but he has not adopted to the to the possession play of Van Gaal.
Di Maria likes to come centrally and effect the game and it is ruining his impact on the game. Fans were very unhappy with him today and they let it know with their boos and jeers. Di Maria was subsequently taken off at half time and replaced by Adnan Januzaj.
Sunderland chocked United’s midfield
Sunderland came with a plan and it worked until Manchester United scored their first goal. Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson and Jordi Gomez stifled Daley Blind and Ander Herrera on the night. Normally so assured and aware Blind was having poor touches after being put under severe pressure by Larsson and Gomez.
Blind’s passing was mostly sideways or backwards. Blind’s contribution was very limited on United today and it showed how United struggled for ideas in linking up the front upfront.
Wayne Rooney needs to play up front for Man United
Wayne Rooney is one of the best strikers in the world and he justified this claim by scoring two well finished goals. Having not taken a penalty for over 2 month, Rooney showed amazing calmness in slotting the ball in to the left corner of the goal while for the second he was in the right place at the right time.
Rooney scored his first goal in 2015 and in doing so, he became the only man to score 10 or more goals in Premier League for 11th consecutive season. Stats say it and we say it that Rooney must play as a striker for Manchester United.
Falcao needs to have more touches in the penalty area to score
One of the best strikers in the world needs to thrive on playing in and around the penalty area of the opposing teams. Falcao did win the penalty for United which led to the first goal but as the heat map above shows how much he has been drifting in to wide positions to have a touch of the ball and it is clearly affecting his performance for United.
If he has to make his move permanent for United, he needs to score goals and to do that, he needs to be in the penalty area more than in his recent games.
Are Pundits expecting too much from Manchester United?
Wherever you read, you will find a common response form the pundits around the world. They want to see the free flowing football from United and despite their respectable 3rd place in the league, no one seems fully convinced about Manchester United and Louis Van Gaal.
Manchester United got home with an easy 2-0 win over Sunderland but pundits were left wanting for more. So is it unfair on the current United side which are getting compared to the Sir Alex Ferguson’s United from past years? Or the Pundits are right in expecting more as we are talking about THE MANCHESTER UNITED, who have ruled the English football for last two decades.
I leave this discussion out in the open and will let you decide this one.