An analysis of Manchester United's players against Liverpool on Sunday
Manchester United achieved a hard fought win over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday. For the third time in a row, they were in danger of throwing a 2 or more goal advantage in the game but Dimitar Berbatov completed his hat-trick to give the Old Trafford
side a well deserved win.
Here is an individual analysis of all the 11 players for Manchester United:
Edwin Van Der Sar: He had a quiet game as he was rarely tested by Liverpool's attack. Van Der Sar had no chance of saving any of Liverpool’s goals as the first was a well struck penalty while the second was Darren Fletcher’s
fault with a shambolic wall placement.
Patrice Evra: It was a performance typical of the Frenchman with his marauding runs on the left wings and decent crosses. Evra combined well with Ryan Giggs on the left wing to break quickly down the flanks.
John O'Shea: The ultimate utility man was deployed in the role of the right back against Liverpool who did not disappoint as he held his fort quite remarkably. It was his excellent cross into the box that resulted in the winner. O’Shea was
lucky to be on the pitch after pulling down Torres when the Spaniard was clear on goal. Apart from that one glitch, O’Shea had a good game in a position that is not really his own.
Jonny Evans: The youngster did not have the time of his life on the pitch against Liverpool and was guilty of gifting Liverpool the penalty which resulted in their first goal. Had Torres been at his devastating best, Evans would have struggled
miserably against him. His embarrassment was staved off as Torres is having a torrid time.
Nemanja Vidic: After two send offs last season against Liverpool, Vidic finally gave a notable performance with a solid display at the heart of United’s defence. He was not overawed by Torres’ presence and was up to the task when needed.
Paul Scholes: United’s man of the season continues his phenomenal form as he was the lynchpin between Manchester United’s defence and attack. He masterfully dominated the proceedings in the middle of the park with almost all his passes finding
their desired targets.
Ryan Giggs: Another legend and another great performance. Even at the twilight of his career, Giggs continues to mesmerize with his mazy runs and clever interchanges with other players. One or two of his passes went awry last night but all-in-all
it was a solid performance by the Welshman. He tormented Glen Johnson throughout the night and his partnership with Evra worked wonders on the left wing for Manchester United.
Darren Fletcher: He has always been the unsung hero for United and it was no different this time round. His terrier like performance in the middle of the park was easily forgiven as he was being blamed for Liverpool’s second goal when he did
not hold his position in United’s wall. Other than that one fault, Fletcher had a telling presence in United’s midfield and combined well with Scholes to dominate the proceedings in the middle of the park.
Nani: The sublimely talented winger continues his meteoric rise as he once again gave Liverpool’s defence more headaches than they could handle. Paul Konchesky was no match for the skill and trickery of Nani as the Portuguese got the better
of him on more than one occasion. Although he should have scored himself early in the second half but he somehow shot wide but made amends later on when he set up a goal for Berbatov.
Wayne Rooney: Things are not going well for the star English striker and it was no different last night as Rooney was almost anonymous. He made no telling contributions to the game and for most parts looked out of sorts.
Dimitar Berbatov: A master class performance by the Bulgarian as he scored Manchester United’s first hat trick against Liverpool in over 60 years. He was light years ahead of everyone else on the pitch, be it his passing, shooting or his logic-defying,
unnatural bicycle kick that resulted in United’s second goal. Berbatov after 2 not-so-wonderful seasons at United has arrived and 6 goals from 5 games is a glaring testament to that.
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