Manchester United breezed their way to another 4-0 victory with the convincing trouncing of Swansea at the Liberty Stadium. This wasn’t as straightforward as West Ham at home, as Swansea gave a fight before capitulating in the last 10 minutes to concede 3 on the trot. If these are signs of things to come, United might have laid down a marker that they are very much in contention for their first league title after 4 years.
Let us look at how the players fared in their second league game of the season!
David de Gea: 6/10
This isn’t a low rating for a poor performance, it’s a low rating as he just didn’t have anything to do on the night. Apart from the near miss from Ayew’s cross in the 2nd minute; he was a mere spectator in the game. His distribution was once again on par with United’s performance on the night.
Antonio Valencia: 6/10
A decent performance by United’s stand-in captain. Kept the play ticking and combined well with his team-mates, but his side seemed to be an outlet in the very few chances that Swansea got.
Eric Bailly: 8/10
Another clean sheet for the Ivorian, this time with a goal to his name. Reacted well to a Fabianski save to score from close range and while Tammy Abraham did ruffle him a bit, he kept his calm. Solid performance at the back.
Phil Jones: 8/10
A rock-solid performance by Phil Jones, reminiscent of his early United days before injuries pegged him back. Another clean sheet, maybe the second of many more from this centre-back pairing.
Daley Blind: 7/10
Another decent performance by the Dutchman who has repaid Mourinho’s faith in him. Doesn’t offer much in terms of pace but his ball retention makes up for it.
Nemanja Matic: 7/10
Another good performance by Matic. Not up to what he performed against West Ham but he was dominant in possession and notorious at the back.
Paul Pogba: 9/10
Paul Pogba had a say in almost every goal. His header helped Eric Bailly score and he played a vital role in the last two goals in those 4 devastating minutes. While he was ruffled in the first half after lashing out on Carrol, he kept his cool and came out on top.
Juan Mata: 7/10
A second start for Juan Mata. A surprising inclusion but he played his part. He’s enjoying his free role and has improved his set-piece ability.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 8/10
Another good game for the Armenian. He and Mata played in the free role behind Romelu Lukaku. Didn’t have a real impact until the last 10 minutes where he clocked two more assists to take his season tally to 4.
Marcus Rashford: 6/10
Flashes of brilliance by Rashford, but he did frustrate. Guilty of missing a chance early on in the second half. Was booed by the unforgiving Swansea fans after his dive in the reverse fixture last season and it did manage to unsettle him a bit.
Romelu Lukaku: 7/10
Played too deep at times, but was resolute in possession and rounded off his performance with a first goal in Wales after three and a half years.
Substitutes:
Marouane Fellaini: 6/10
Came on for Juan Mata and sat next to Matic in central midfield. Usual substitution and came on at a time when Swansea were in the hunt for a goal.
Anthony Martial: 8/10
Another substitute appearance, another goal. Again, at his sublime best, running at defenders and had the finish to match it. He’s definitely proven his worth and may have a case for Mourinho to start him next time around!
