Mata and Fernandes prove that Solskjaer’s subtlety can triumph over speed

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How I needed Manchester United that. At the end of a truly steamy fortnight in which they were embarrassed by Tottenham in the Premier League and themselves in the transfer market, the Red Devils regained a touch of pride with a performance that will provide them with a platform on which to belatedly begin their season. , or serve as another false dawn.

The answer will come soon enough, as United’s next streak of games is one that had been targeted to mark the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as coach at Old Trafford. But the beleaguered boss will hang on to the many positives of a dominant performance.

Yes, this was Newcastle, a team that seemed content to play for a draw while leading after taking a lead in the second minute. Steve Bruce’s team suffers from a desperate lack of ambition, a disease that spreads from the boardroom to the field. But they put United to work until the 86th minute, which will be seen by many inside St James’ Park as ample consolation.

However, pleasantly for Solskjaer, United had to show some charm for Newcastle to finally succumb.

Much of that charm can be found in the class of Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata. Fernandes did what Fernandes does; He dragged an initially reluctant team onto the field, injecting them with some imagination and creativity. It’s often a lonely job for Fernandes, but in Mata he seems to have found a soul mate.

Mata was one of several changes Solskjaer had to make in order to be seen doing something about it. that miserable capitulation to the Spurs. Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Mason Greenwood appeared, along with the sanctioned Anthony Martial. None of the fallen could reasonably complain, but of those who replaced them, it was Mata who really seized his chance.

The Spaniard is United’s current Player of the Month, but this was his first Premier League appearance of the season. Mata received the brightest shit accolade on the back of his Carabao Cup performances and if he felt at home tonight, perhaps it is because Solskjaer’s selection had the look of a League Cup XI.

But everything good about United, especially in the first hour, had Mata at the center. He played down the left in the first half before moving to the opposite side. Whichever flank he occupied, Fernandes’ first glance was always in that direction. Fernandes seems to trust Mata in a way that he doesn’t feel capable of with many teammates. If he gives Mata the ball, trust him to return it.

With United’s usual front of three, brimming with pace but often lacking in cunning, preparing against unadventurous opposition is often painstaking. But with Mata bouncing the ball around opponents alongside Fernandes, Newcastle quickly stretched, especially when they had to worry about the speed of Marcus Rashford and Daniel James as well.

Mata combined with Fernandes for a fine goal that was ruled out by the VAR before his set piece landed on Harry Maguire’s head. Nodding in the United tie gave Maguire something to smile about for the first time in two months – not that he did – and reason to believe that perhaps his embarrassment in England on Wednesday may have been his lowest point.

It wasn’t all good news for United. Solskjaer must dig a little deeper into his seven Maguire partner candidates, with Victor Lindelof bullied by Callum Wilson in preparation for Newcastle’s opener, which was handed over by the hapless Luke Shaw. At least the left-back regained his composure and held steady for the remaining 88 minutes, but Alex Telles, watching from the bench, will undoubtedly hope to take his place in Solskjaer’s XI in no time.

Even Fernandes endured the misfortune of missing his first penalty in 23 attempts. Absent from this second-half effort was his usual jump, but Karl Darlow was not fooled. The United pitcher has varied his approach before, but the Newcastle keeper was the first to beat him.

But Fernandes got his revenge when he scored perhaps one of the best goals of Solskjaer’s reign. With United firing continuous targets at Darlow’s goal (the Red Devils had more shots (29) tonight than any other team in any other Premier League game this season, they ran back and forth, with Donny van de Beek, Fernandes , Mata and Rashford all involved. A delightful play got the kick it deserved when Fernandes made a reverse pass before finding the top corner with a shot that a three-armed goalkeeper wouldn’t have stopped, let alone one with one leg. what Darlow actually was for the last 20 minutes …

Bruce’s reluctance to replace the limp plug was strange, but his inaction summed up Newcastle. If there is one side that cannot do without a healthy caretaker, it is surely the Magpies.

Darlow was beaten twice more, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka helped himself gain some of the confidence Newcastle was giving, before Rashford applied an extra layer of shine to the scoreboard, one that pretty much represented United’s dominance.

Next up: PSG away. And it doesn’t get any easier after that, with Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Istanbul Basaksehir and Everton in the next three weeks.

Solskjaer is likely to restore Rashford to the left on Tuesday, with Martial and Edinson Cavani available to lead the line. Pace at halftime may be the issue in Paris, but Mata has shown United have a different option to fill the void on the right flank.

Ian Watson

Read: 16 Takeaways On A Merseyside Derby Classic



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