Man Utd’s best and worst players in FA Cup final defeat
Manchester United’s quest to complete a domestic cup double ended in defeat on Saturday as they fell 2-1 to Manchester City at Wembley.
Erik ten Hag’s Carabao Cup champions put up a valiant effort but were bested by two long-range strikes from Ilkay Gundogan, who drilled home from the edge of the box either side of Bruno Fernandes‘ equaliser from the penalty spot.
Unfortunately for United, the memory of this game will perhaps be the particularly underwhelming performance of one of the team’s most divisive players.
Here are 90min’s best and worst performers from United’s unfortunate defeat.
Alejandro Garnacho – 7/10
Eagle-eyed readers will notice that Alejandro Garnacho didn’t even start this game.
The young Argentine began the contest on the bench, behind Jadon Sancho and Fernandes in the pecking order out wide, but was brought on for the tiring Christian Eriksen for the final half an hour of the game.
Ten Hag may wish he had introduced Garnacho sooner as the teenager was electric during his stint on the pitch. His energy was huge and caused City plenty of problems as they tried to cling on to their lead.
Questions over Sancho’s starting spot, and that occupied by his usual partner-in-crime, the injured Antony, were being raised long before this game got underway and they undoubtedly will be asked over the summer as United fans continue to demand more from two of the most expensive wide forwards in the game.
Young Garnacho looks ready for a starting spot.
Honourable mention
Bruno Fernandes – 6/10
Fernandes brought energy and his usual composure from the penalty spot when United needed him most.
As his rating may suggest, however, this wasn’t his finest outing.
David de Gea – 2/10
This was ugly from De Gea.
While there was nothing he could do about the record-setting screamer that kicked off the game, De Gea should have done better with Gundogan’s uncomfortable second volley which, even though it was travelling slowly, appeared to catch the Spaniard off guard.
The shot did travel through an army of bodies, and so you could probably defend him for that, but De Gea had already used up the patience afforded to him with some really poor play with the ball at his feet inside the first half which gifted possession back to City time and time again.
Ten Hag wants a new goalkeeper who can offer more in his side’s build-up play, and on this evidence, it’s not hard to see why. You can’t afford to waste your time on the ball against sides like City.
Dishonourable mention
Christian Eriksen – 4/10
City’s relentless press in midfield proved far too much for Eriksen, whose legs appeared to fade inside the first half and saw him hooked on the hour mark.
During his time on the pitch, Eriksen did not get the chance to wave his magic wand, and his fatigue may have given Ten Hag even more of a reason to pursue somebody like Mason Mount.