Number 22 Aston Villa – My Man United

editorial

Spare a thought for Stevie G as we face Villa 😉

This issue could almost be described as a scouting special as our two main features are both looking at two fantastic prospects, both of whom have been linked with United. Darragh Fox took the opportunity whilst in Naples to personally scout the sensational Kim Min-Jae. He’s been a massive part of Napoli’s success this season; everyone though Koulibaly would be hard to replace but it’s a case of Kalidou chi? down in Naples.

Another brilliant summer acquisition was Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez, who is the subject of our second feature from Seth Dooley. What a superb window the Portuguese league leaders had, with the likes of David Neres and Alexander Bah also proving a revelation and also, potentially, along with the blossoming Gonçalo Ramos, providing food for thought for United’s talent scouts. Benfica have taken both their domestic league and the Champions League by storm and by surprise and Fernandez has probably been the crown jewel of their exciting young side.

Back at home, Alejandro Garnacho has become the youngest non-English player since George Best to score for United, and he is looking like the real deal after being held back by Ten Hag earlier in the season (more on that in our top 10 videos.) For once, United have had a boost at exactly the right time with the absences of Sancho, Antony and Martial leaving a normally well-stocked wing department bereft of options.

Once we have some strikers coming through as well, things could really be looking up. Seeing Harry Maguire at centre forward (see news section) really brought home how few options Ten Hag has in that most crucial of roles. But as Eckers says this week, there is now so much passion and aggression in the side that it is easy to find heroes all over the pitch and the future is looking very bright.

Another news story that has broken in the last couple of days is that FC Porto have tied keeper Diogo Costa to a new contract which has increased his release clause to €75m (see News section). That has thrown a spanner in the works (in the minds of the transfer rumour mongers at least) and puts the spotlight on this week’s Devils Advocate debate about whether David de Gea – who was excellent again against Sociedad – deserves a new contract or whether it is time to move on.

And so on to the Villa game, one United will have to tackle without the suspended Bruno Fernandes. They will also have the disadvantage of playing against a proper manager in Unai Emery rather than Slippy G. We were of course all gutted to see the Liverpool leg-end get the sack, but only because we won’t have the chance to be the ones to land the hammer blow. Cheerio, Stevie and good ebening, Unai.

Latest united news

The top news stories about United this week, handpicked for you. Clicking on any headline will open the full story from The Peoples Person in a new window. See the dedicated transfers page for more transfer news.

United close to Rashford and Dalot extensions

Costa's release clause increased to €75m

Garnacho sparks debate about World Cup inclusion

Casemiro named player of the month

More rejection for homeless Ronaldo as even the Saudis distance themselves

Glazers make no money available for January signings

kim min-jae: the final puzzle piece?

The Korean could bring United’s defending to a new level

Manchester United have conceded 16 goals in the league this season. It’s a figure which points towards a defence that’s neither terrible nor exceptional. However, when you break down the statistic into goals conceded with Raphaël Varane and goals conceded without the Frenchman you produce two contrasting defences; one that borders on terrible, and one that borders on excellent. With Varane on the pitch, United have given away 4 goals in 684 minutes – a goal every 171 minutes. Without Varane, they have conceded 12 goals in 396 minutes – a goal every 33 minutes. The contrast is stark.

And it’s a contrast which should give Erik Ten Hag room for concern; a concern driven primarily by injury. Since swapping the Santiago Bernabéu for Old Trafford 15 months ago, Varane has missed 19 games through various maladies. It’s a number which will only grow in the short period before the World Cup. This is, again, not a terrible injury record. But for a player as definitively integral as Varane is to United, it borders on terrible; terribly important anyways.

The abilities of the much-maligned alternatives in the Old Trafford changing room further exacerbate this dependence. Lindelöf and Maguire is a frightful pairing for United fans, enough to trigger the painful defensive memories of the past few seasons. Thankfully, Lisandro Martinez has been a revelation since his big-money move in the summer, bringing with him a level of consistency and ability that United have sorely lacked from the back, relegating Lindelöf and Maguire to the bench in the process. Yet it still feels as if El Carnicero functions at his best next to an aerially dominant partner, particularly in the league. Varane fills this void ideally.

Lindelöf represents the opposite of this ideal however. Ranking in the 43^rd percentile for successful aerial duels, the Swede feels more natural as a replacement for Martinez, where his ability to progress the ball and provide cover are better suited. The combination of Martinez and Lindelöf leaves United susceptible in the air. Maguire should, therefore, come into his own given his imposing frame. And while Maguire is absolutely aerially dominant, in every other defensive facet over the past year he has been lacking. Having lost his place in the starting XI for United, England fans are desperate for Southgate to make a similar omission with the recent performance against Germany illustrating the issue consummately. His lack of pace does not suit a high-line defence, and he appears to have lost his ability to play out from the back quickly and accurately.

These issues with United’s captain are not solely limited to the pitch either. While his professionalism and attitude could never be questioned, doubts remain over his suitability to the arm band. These are doubts that have only grown as his importance within the team has reduced. His wage packet also raises concerns. £190,000 a week for a player who will be 30 next summer makes little sense as a substitute, particularly one with the performance concerns of Maguire. Will Maguire even remain content at the club on the bench? His competitive nature suggests not.

Ten Hag may, therefore, be on the look out for a new centre-back come the summer. And there is one candidate who has been earning plaudits across the continent. Kim Min-jae joined Napoli in the summer from Fenerbahçe for roughly £15 million. Bought as a replacement for the much-loved Kalidou Koulibaly, some players may have felt overwhelmed by the pressure in a city where football is a way of life. Yet Min-jae has taken to Napoli like a duck to water, and Napoli fans have taken to him like a long-lost son.

Napoli beat Sassuolo in a comfortable 4-0 win on the weekend. I was lucky enough to be at the Diego Maradona Stadium to witness this impressive performance, and while more eye-catching players like Osimhen (scored a hat-trick) and Kvaratskhelia (a goal and an assist) drew the biggest cheers from the crowd as the starting XI was announced, in 3^rd place for xD (Expected Decibels) was Min-jae. The Napoli fan I sat next to said he’s been the best centre-back in Serie A this season. My eyes certainly agreed.

Min-jae displayed every attribute you would desire your centre-back to possess. He was aerially dominant, standing at nearly 6’3, yet maintained a speed and nimbleness more befitting of a full-back. He was also as equally comfortable with the ball at his feet as he was without, repeatedly stepping up and away from the clutches of the Sassuolo forwards, to initiate attacks. It was a complete performance.

Min-jae’s underlying statistics for the season suggest this was the norm, rather than the exception. Ranking in the 87^th percentile for aerial duels and the 76^th percentile for clearances, he also ranks 80^th for attempted passes. He further offers an attacking threat, ranking in the 90^th percentile for non-penalty goals and 92^nd in shot-creating actions. As complete on paper as he looked complete on the pitch then.

Surely a player having as dominant a season as Min-jae, in his first year at a club notoriously difficult to do business with, who are leading their league as well as Champions League group, at only 25 years of age, would require an astronomical fee to land? Sport Witness disagree, asserting it would only take £38 million to land the South Korean centre-back.

This fee, however, will only be active for 15 days at the beginning of next summer’s transfer window. Sport Witness quote Napoli’s lawyer who confirms the time frame, explaining the club’s decision:

“The will of the club where there are clauses is to limit the validity of the clause for a very short time. For the simple reason that, in this way, any departures and replacements can be evaluated in time.”

Thus it appears Min-jae will be available at a reasonable price for a mere two week period, ensuring Napoli the time to secure an appropriate replacement. United should utilise this window of opportunity to bring the defender to Manchester.

Min-jae is a complete footballer with the physicality and ball-playing skills to thrive in the Premier League as a centre-back. Such is his fleet-footedness and quickness, he could also function as a right-back. Arsenal’s success this season has been driven by their talented right-hand side, with centre-back Ben White performing excellently as a fullback behind Bukayo Saka. Ten Hag has recently detailed the importance of ‘two good fullbacks’ for a club like United. With Wan-Bissaka a non-entity this season and Dalot running the risk of being overplayed, Min-jae could provide a solution to this.

Fundamentally, however, Min-jae would offer a significant upgrade to either Maguire or Lindelöf. It’s this upgrade which will interest Ten Hag the most given Varane’s absence’s converts United’s defence from an excellent one to a terrible one, and his injuries appear here to stay. Min-jae may offer the Dutch manager the perfect medicine.

Darragh Fox

Meet the opposition: Aston Villa

Villa are floundering after a horror start to the season under the sacked Steven Gerrard

Manager: Unai Emery

After Steven Gerrard sacking (haha), Emery has been brought in to steady the ship but only took charge of his first training session on Wednesday. How much this will look like an Emery team in such a short space of time is a big question. Emery has a wealth of experience, having managed the likes of Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Arsenal and most recently, Villareal. He also is the owner of third-tier Spanish side Real Union, where he has family connections.

interesting stats

Villa have only won twice in their last 20 competitive fixtures against the Red Devils, although the last meeting between the sides ended in a hard fought 2-2 draw. That game saw the Villans have 65% of the ball in the second half, with 6 shots on target to United’s 2 and winning 34 duels compared to 22 for the Red Devils. Under a coach as demanding as Erik ten Hag, a repeat of those statistics will not be acceptable and fans will hope that the team’s new-found intensity and organisation will bear fruit against a struggling side.

FORM AND INJURIES

On paper it looked like this would be Villa's season after heavy investment in the summer market. Diego Carlos from Sevilla, the permanent deal for Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, Leander Dendoncker from Wolves and Boubacar Kamara on a free were amongst the additions, but none have them have really caught light yet as Villa languish in 16th place in the table. Carlos and Kamara are ruled out with injury along with Ludwig Augustinsson. Emiliano Martinez faces a late fitness test.

Squad page - opponents' official site (opens in new tab)

Head-to-head record with United (opens in new tab)

match preview

All the latest information about the upcoming game.

Team News and Predicted XI

Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag has a number of fitness and illness issues hanging over his forward players as he prepares for Sunday’s trip to Villa Park to face Aston Villa.

Anthony Martial is back in training but it is unlikely that he will be deemed fit enough to start the game. He could feature from the bench, with Ronaldo keeping his place up front.. Jadon Sancho has had the flu and may recover in time, while United are still assessing Antony’s knock that has kept him out of the last two games. Marcus Rashford was also not started against Real Sociedad due to a knock that is being managed. Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes is definitely out serving a suspension after picking up five yellow cards.

Donny van de Beek played in the number 10 position against Sociedad but was underwhelming and seems unlikely to start again. Rashford also appeared to be playing in the hole when brought on in the second half, but that did not look like a successful deployment either.

Other than Van de Beek and possibly Christian Eriksen, there are no obvious alternatives at number 10. And if Eriksen is deployed there, there are no natural alternatives as a deep playmaker unless someone like Zidane Iqbal is given a chance.

Ten Hag could therefore switch to a 4-3-3 for the Villa game, with Rashford, Ronaldo and one of Sancho, Antony, Anthony Elanga or Alejandro Garnacho in attack and a midfield three of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Fred behind them. Garnacho has impressed in his Europa League starts but Ten Hag may be concerned that the Premier League is a different kettle of fish. He therefore may opt for whichever of Antony or Sancho are available (more likely Sancho), or even the unimpressive Elanga again.

In defence, it would appear that the substitution of Victor Lindelof against Sociedad was tactical, so we expect him to keep his place alongside Lisandro Martinez at centre back. Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw will almost certainly continue at full back, with David de Gea in goal.

Tactical Analysis

It will be hard to prepare for Emery’s first match in charge of Villa as it is yet to be seen how he will deploy his troops. However, what is known is that his teams typically adopt a high defensive line or mid-block and play a counter-attacking game. He also likes his teams to press aggressively.

He also tends to favour a twin pivot and could go with a 4-4-2 with Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings leading the line.

Match officials

Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Craig Pawson. VAR: Peter Bankes. Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.

Video: Manager's Press conference (Now available - opens MANUTD.COM in new tab)

Report: MANAGER'S PRESS CONFERENCE (when available - opens THEPEOPLESPERSON.COM in new tab)

Enzo Fernandez: United's perfect midfield signing?

The Benfica star is part-Casemiro, part-Eriksen and a fraction of the price of Bellingham

Having signed for Benfica in July – a side that is yet to lose a competitive fixture this season – Enzo Fernández has already become the midfield flavour of the month in European football.

Manchester United are reported to have been scouting Enzo this season in Portugal after having watched him in Argentina.

United’s midfield of Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro has largely performed impeccably this season. Fred has even shown his value as a squad player, bringing intensity and impotence into a second half. Scott McTominay, having started this campaign as part of the first 11, can be seen as a role player at long last – someone to add physicality and an injection of desire when required. Donny van de Beek has been mostly injured since his Ajax ally Erik ten Hag took over the helm at Old Trafford. Zidane Iqbal impressed in preseason and has since been training with the first team and included in matchday squads. Hannibal Mejbri has garnered plaudits early into his loan spell with Birmingham City.

So why would United enter the market for another midfielder? The simple answer: Enzo Fernández is not a player United should ignore. The more complex answer: young, sky-high potential, diverse skill set, Enzo could shadow the ageing Eriksen and Casemiro for the coming years with the view for him to become a complete, Premier League quality, Ten Hag-suited midfielder. Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham appear to be near impossible to sign; not only would Fernández be a worthy alternative, he may be the better candidate for a multitude of reasons.

Enzo has become one of the most well-rounded and infallible midfielders in Europe since his recent arrival. 13 appearances as a central midfielder, 6 as a defensive midfielder, and 3 as an attacking midfielder, it is clear to see that Roger Schmidt is enjoying his new Argentinian star’s dynamism.

The 21 year old outlined his main attributes upon signing for Benfica: “I have good vision, passing and ball recovery and I think that is what I can add to the team.”

And the all-round central midfielder has undoubtedly backed this up since. Regarding his vision, Enzo has proved this to a great extent when joining the attack. He is averaging 4.72 shot-creating-actions per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 94th percentile amongst fellow midfielders, as per FB Ref.

His instinctive and intelligent vision has also been displayed. Enzo is averaging 0.48 goal-creating-actions per 90 minutes (97th percentile). This would suggest that the Argentine is thriving when deployed as a deep-lying playmaker.

The eye-test can vouch for this too. Enzo is often seen clipping the ball around the corner into the final third with a rather Eriksen or Fernandes-like poise. With such through-balls in the air, the Argentine holds an expected assist (xAG) of 0.48 – meaning, in short, that the Benfica strikers should improve their finishing, as he has only tallied four assists so far this season in 21 appearances.

This clinical, assertive, confident passing is a skill which he mentioned. And it is a skill which is, without doubt, of an elite quality. Enzo has mastered the art of having a varied pass-type arsenal. Whether it be lofting the ball to the other side of the pitch (1.73 switches per match: 99th percentile), drilling it forward into the final third (12.01 progressive passes into final third: 99th percentile), or crisply playing it to a close-by teammate (35.56 short passes per ninety: 99th percentile), Enzo demands close-to-perfection from himself. His pass completion rate (of all pass-types) is sitting at a remarkable 87.1%, placing him once again into the 99th percentile amongst midfielders in Europe’s top divisions.

And yes, he was once again very accurate with his suggestion that he would help recover the ball for the team. Enzo averages 7.23 ball recoveries per game, 2.33 tackles and 0.96 interceptions. These exemplary defensive statistics indicate that he is a player with an excellent reading of the game and a high aptitude in regaining possession.

Indeed, Benfica have only conceded five goals in the domestic League and six goals in a Champions League group that included Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. Enzo’s midfield dynamism and willingness to work hard defensively for his team is a clear foundation for the lack of opposition goals.

What marks Enzo as a top candidate to emulate the successes of the best number sixes is his readiness to get on the ball. He loves to have the ball at his feet. Making a determined effort to be available for teammates around the central area of the pitch, Enzo averages 106.79 touches per game and receives the ball 86.53 times. Both of these place him, yet again, in the 99th percentile.

What can be drawn from these two metrics is that the midfielder loves to be an option – receive the ball – manoeuvre it cleverly – and pass it quickly forward. This is a sign that, under the tutelage of Casemiro and Eriksen, Enzo could adapt into a supreme Premier League midfielder. What’s more, he advertised his supreme Eriksen-esque technical qualities for Benfica on his very first appearance. Against Midtjylland in a Champions League qualifying fixture, Enzo pummelled the ball into the net on the volley from a corner in a shockingly similar fashion to Paul Scholes’ famous strike against Aston Villa. You’ll want to look it up.

Enzo has even shown his capabilities as a youngster in Argentina. Sent on loan by parent club River Plate to Defensa y Justicia, the 19-year-old Enzo guided his team to the COPA Sudamericana 2020 (Latin America’s equivalent to the Europa League) and was included in the tournament’s best eleven for his performances in the ten matches.

Who else won the COPA Sudamericana at 19 years of age? Casemiro. The São Paulo star then, similarly, moved to Europe and shortly thereafter was developing in the Primeira Liga with Porto. After this spell he became a fixed member in Real Madrid’s world-beating side for nearly a decade. There is a clear opportunity for Enzo to shadow one of the greatest number sixes even further to continue his development to elite status in Europe.

Another thing you might recognise is the team Defensa y Justicia. Lisandro Martínez – perhaps United’s Player of the Season so far – was also sent on loan to the Buenos Aires club. In a similar fashion to his compatriot, Enzo also shows signs of the Ten Hag coined term ‘Grinta’. He has picked up six yellow cards this season. Although not a traditional quality to admire, it is inarguable that the Stretford End lights up when a player shows excess-drive – especially if it is profitable for the team.

Although Transfermarkt deems Enzo as a player worth €35million in the current climate, Benfica will undoubtedly expect more. A host of clubs can be expected to pursue the midfielder next summer, including the likes of Liverpool, and his contract does not expire until June 2027.

With that being said, Enzo’s agency, DE 9 Fútbol, have no other player on the books worth over €4million. There could, therefore, be a push from the player’s representatives for Benfica to cash in on a young player who is already the best midfielder in Portugal. And United have to put themselves in the running.

Seth Dooley

transfer rumours

What’s hot, what’s real and what’s not

In this section we look at some of the most active transfer stories of the week about United, both comings and goings. We give each story a fire rating (how hot the story is, out of five) and a star rating (how reliable the story is, out of five).

🔥🔥🔥

Rated 2.4 out of 5

jude bellingham (borussia dortmund)

Everybody wants Bellingham and why wouldn’t they? But United must be realistic about their chances. They face a battle from Real Madrid, Man City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Liverpool. They also have to contend with the seller’s tasty asking price, rumoured to be an eye-watering €150 million. A top four finish at the minimum will give the Reds a chance, assuming the club’s owners will negotiate at anything close to the asking price.

🔥

Rated 2 out of 5

Diogo Costa (FC Porto)

One of the season’s sensations, Porto have moved swiftly to protect their asset and have signed him up to a new 5-year contract with €75m buyout clause.

Reports from Portugal claim that United have “reserved” Costa and have asked to be notified if any other team makes an enquiry. Costa attracted peak attention by saving saved three penalties in Porto’s Champions League group – four if you include the one that was ordered to be retaken – and also got a brilliant assist.

Portugal’s number 1 and still only 23 years of age, Costa would be a worthy replacement for David de Gea, but the new release clause could make this one difficult.

🔥🔥

Rated 1 out of 5

eric choupo-moting (bayern munich)

United are showing “strong interest” in Bayern Munich forward Eric Choupo-Moting, according to reports. His versatility and the fact that he could become a free agent is liked by the club.

It’s a rather left-field suggestion. He has scored eight goals this season but a 33-year-old Stoke City flop is hardly the Rolls Royce forward fans are looking for.

🔥🔥

Rated 1.5 out of 5

martin terrier (rennes)

A like-for-like (ish) player for another target, Cody Gakpo, Terrier scored 21 Ligue 1 goals last season and has started this season just as well, scoring 11 goals in all competitions to date for Rennes. A good World Cup could see the 25 year old’s price soar but that could work to United’s favour if it provides a strong alternative to the PSV man.

Photo of the week: management

Getty Images

The devil's advocate

“United should give David de Gea a new contract”

The case for ...

Manchester United star David de Gea’s contract is due to end soon, prompting debate over whether or not to extend his stay or move on.

Central to this debate is the new manager – Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman’s tactical style is obvious for all to see, so it was only natural that De Gea’s ball work was called into action.

The experienced Spaniard also hasn’t had the best time in recent history, with his best performances coming perhaps during Jose Mourinho’s reign. However, De Gea has shown some promise this season. He’s protected better and has benefitted from a solid defence ahead of him. Plus, he’s put in strong saves when called upon. The only current doubt that hangs over his head is his ability to pass.

Those that remember the early days of De Gea’s time at United, will remember he was actually a pretty decent passer. Not necessarily in the way we see nowadays in terms of to his back four or into the deep-lying playmaker. It was more so about breaking the press and finding someone on the wings or midfield.

Much of this had to do with the previous United teams having someone who was able to be an outlet. Someone capable of bringing down the ball or finding space for De Gea to play a pass into. Ten Hag’s current men aren’t quite the same now. And so when the former Ajax man asked De Gea to play the ball out from the back at the start of the season, it ended poorly.

As a result, the former Atletico Madrid man was given a break from that responsibility for a couple of games. Now we’re starting to see a return to Ten Hag’s original requests. And De Gea already looks better at it.

So for me, the question isn’t can he adapt to what’s being asked of him (although I’ll admit there are others on the market who might be better at it and younger), the question is, is he worth it anymore.

De Gea has made it clear he wants to remain at Old Trafford. I think we should test how badly he wants to. I’m all for handing him a new contract, on the condition it’s a short one, given he’s into his 30s now, and one that’s wages are much lower.

If he can accept these conditions, then I see no reason why not to renew or extend his stay. He’s been at the club for a long time, and will help transition the team that Ten Hag is building.

If Dean Henderson returns and convinces the manager as well, then we’ll have two strong keepers. If not, then United can invest in the likes of Diego Costa, and there will be a genuine challenge on the cards.

Odds are, De Gea will accept a squad player role too. Especially as he’s lost his place in the Spanish national side, and no major club wants his signature anymore.

For me, these scenarios are win-win and it makes no sense to not extend his stay.

Red Moon

The case against...

One thing I don’t think anyone will argue with is that United shouldn’t trigger the one-year extension in De Gea’s old contract. £375,000 is and always was a crazy amount to pay for him, born out of total ignorance on the part of old contract negotiators Ed Woodward and Matt Judge.

So the new year will pass and Dave will be able to talk to other clubs and sign a pre-contract agreement, but will he? No, but not because of loyalty. Fans are incredibly loyal to De Gea, and that loyalty is commendable, and the player himself now talks a lot about being Manchester through-and-through and how he wants to stay at United for the rest of his career. But this is the same guy whose departure was only thwarted by a faulty fax machine back in 2015.

Call me cynical, but I think the reason for these loyalty soundbytes is that he knows that at his age and with his erratic record, even if he cut his salary in half, he’ll struggle to find a club. At half his current amount he’d still be on a €11.3m a year deal, which is above the salary cap of most European clubs. Who would fork that out for a 31 year old keeper?

So he is playing out of his skin, trying to convince United. He’s trying – for the first time at 31 years of age, to adapt to the modern game, to come off his line and to improve his distribution. Because he knows United are his best bet for a last big deal of £200k a week or more. But who’s to say that once United give him that deal, he’ll not take his foot off the pedal again and put in one of the shitty seasons that have permeated his career at Old Trafford?

The last contract signing sparked a miserable year. It will happen again. If De Gea gets a new United contract, I believe the club will regret it. Then they’ll be glad. Then they’ll regret it again. And so on. The fact is that he has won player of the year four times because he can be brilliant, but on those other years we’re all throwing our hands in the air wondering why he’s still in the side.

This, I believe, is why he is now not even in Luis Enriqué’s top five keepers for Spain’s World Cup squad. It’s not because he’s not capable of being better than the likes of David Raya and Robert Sanchez. It’s because he’s unpredictable. And some would argue, the bigger the game, the more unpredictable he becomes.

But even if he did slash his salary in half and even if he did keep up the good recent form permanently and the slightly improved “11^th outfield player” skills, I still wouldn’t sign him. There may be no better shot-stopper on the planet but I believe there are many better all-round keepers in the game. 23 year old Diogo Costa for example is the best young keeper I’ve seen since the likes of Casillas and Buffon and while £51 is a fairly steep buyout clause, you would potentially be getting 10 years at his peak on a salary far lower than the declining De Gea’s.

Red Billy

newton heath

Classic United matches from yesteryear

FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, 4th May 1957: Manchester Utd 1-2 Aston Villa

As Matt Busby’s babes were really coming into prominence, United had reached another FA Cup final, their first since beating Blackpool in 1948. Having just been crowned League Champions for a second year in a row, the Reds faced Aston Villa at Wembley, having brushed aside the previous season’s beaten finalists, Birmingham City, in the semi.

Villa had finished the Division One season in a lowly tenth place, 21 points behind champions United, and had failed to win a single trophy since 1920. The sides mirrored each other in having nine English players apiece, with both starting line ups also consisting of one each from Northern Ireland and the Republic too, the United side being the youngest ever FA Cup Final team.

With just shy of 100,000 people inside the stadium, and the Wembley pitch looking like “a palace lawn”, the sides kicked off and soon the match was marred by huge controversy. In the sixth minute, as Ray Wood gathered the ball from a header, Villa striker Peter McParland collided with the United keeper and he immediately collapsed to the floor. The challenge was late and unnecessary and as both players lay prone on the ground, it soon became obvious that Wood was in bad shape. Despite being carried off on a stretcher, leaving United struggling with ten men, the brave keeper decided to come back on, playing on the right wing as Irishman Jackie Blanchflower deputised in goal.

Wood was but a passenger for the remainder of the game however, often noticeably wandering around holding smelling salts in his hand and offered almost nothing to the few attacks United could muster.

The Reds made it to half time on level terms, and in front of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, got the second half underway with high hopes of taking the game to Villa, albeit without Wood once more. As the pressure mounted on the ten men of United, Villa took the lead, McParland scoring a diving header in the 68th minute after previously hitting the cross bar. And just five minutes later The Villains hit the bar again, McParland there to knock in the rebound unchallenged, 2-0 to Villa.

Manchester United wouldn’t give up though, with some late pressure forcing three successive corners, all swung into the box by Duncan Edwards, finally a looping header from Tommy Taylor found the net on 87 minutes. Villa would hold on though, a 2-1 scoreline making them the most successful club in FA Cup history, with this becoming their seventh final win, a record that United themselves would go on to usurp.

Eight of the Manchester United line up that day would never play for the team again, as just a year later the team were back in the FA Cup Final against Bolton Wanderers. With six of the eleven players losing their lives in the fateful Munich air disaster the following February, and two sustaining injuries that forced them to retire, the babes had been taken before their prime.

United, at the time, were flying high in the league, in back-to-back European cup semi finals and were at Wembley once more for a second time that season, alas it wasn’t to be, as the crash destroyed the dreams of what was to become the greatest generation of players English football had ever witnessed.

United lineup: Ray Wood, Roger Byrne, Bill Foulkes, Eddie Colman, Jackie Blanchflower, Duncan Edwards, Johnny Berry, Billy Whelan, Tommy Taylor, Bobby Charlton, David Pegg.

Paul Speller

eckers

Finally, a selection of worthy candidates to be our hero

For the last few seasons United fans would be hard pressed to name even a couple of favourite players. Where once the names tripped off the tongue, fallow times and a playing core that was seen to value clicks over craft left fan favourites thin on the ground. Six months into Erik ten Hag’s reign and the likeability factor has miraculously returned. How did this happen? And how much does that connection mean to the Reds faithful?

Perhaps the two biggest reasons for this sudden preponderance of agreeable characters are down to the club’s new coach.

Importantly, Ten Hag insists that maximum effort is a basic requirement and not an optional extra. Gone are the days then when mediocrity was tolerated and lax behaviour went unpunished. As Cristiano Ronaldo has already discovered, either the squad toes the line or suffers the consequences. And when a player of that magnitude receives a slapped wrist, everyone’s hands preemptively sting.

Secondly, the club has followed his lead to sign players with more than a whiff of the dark arts about them. A renewed focus on strong personalities harks back to the club’s golden days, when dossiers were compiled that devoted as much space to character traits as they did skills.

A newfound spirit of aggression has followed the new boys into Carrington. These are players who clearly want to be here and are keen to make their mark. Antony pushed hard for his transfer and has the kind of swagger that delights the fanbase as much as it enrages embittered old pros. Similarly, despite having won every major trophy in the game, the impressive Casemiro didn’t take much convincing to leave the mighty Real Madrid. These guys are a far cry from the half-hearted (piano playing) mercenaries of the grim recent past.

Perhaps the best of them all is pint-sized powerhouse Lisandro Martinez. United have been let down by Argentinians before but there seems to be a spiritual connection between Burnage and the Barrios. Although Carlos Tevez and Gabriel Heinze burned their bridges upon departing Old Trafford, they were similarly idolised on the Stretford End for a time.

It helps that Martinez was written off by some of the more vocally clueless pundits before September had even arrived. The way he reacted to criticism by pocketing the likes of Mohammed Salah, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min has galvanised the fans and turned him into an overnight cult hero. The likes of Graeme Souness are free to counter the wealth of evidence staring them in the face with outdated missives from the Shankly era about big, strong boys. The gritty stopper looks like one of the signings of the season and may even be future captain material.

Licha’s defiant resurgence begs the question, does persevering through hard times make the ones who come out of the other side more likeable? This was the certainly the case for the still revered Bryan Robson, who ignored the overtures of some of Europe’s biggest clubs to devote his peak years to a club in flux before finally being rewarded with a league title in ’93. The same rationale applies to both David Beckham and the aforementioned Ronaldo, who found solace at OT when the tabloids had branded them public enemies.

That was then and times change. Rising through the ranks used to be a shortcut to popularity but is no longer enough to win approval. For instance, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard suffered dog’s abuse over the last couple of campaigns despite being local boys done good. Even promising kids haven’t earned immunity from the shit-show.

The key with those two players was perception. They were seen to be distracted and, especially online, were accused of coasting through games and lacking commitment. This sense of distrust was exacerbated by United’s overall lack of direction. For some fans, it’s hard to get behind the team when disappointment is a near constant. Instead, support evaporates and the blame game begins.

The new gaffer has talked openly about the need for connection between fans and players. Improved performances and a visibly improved work ethic have given him what he wants, with the players and fanbase now firmly aligned with his vision. OT no longer slumbers. It has finally woken up and the Reds are United. Long may it last.

Scott Eckersley

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