Man Utd Player Ratings: PAOK Match Review - A Night of Frustration and a Touch of Magic
Man United traveled to Greece to face PAOK Salonika in the second leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie. The Red Devils were looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, but they were met with a stubborn Greek defense. Here's how the players performed:
David De Gea (7/10): Dave was solid as ever, making a couple of crucial saves in the first half. He really held the fort, even though he had very little to do.
Diogo Dalot (6/10): Diogo had a pretty solid game, although he was a bit inconsistent in his attacking play. Defensively, he did well, but he could have done more going forward.
Victor Lindelöf (7/10): Victor was reliable at the back, dealing with the PAOK attack with calm authority. He seems to be slowly regaining his form.
Chris Smalling (6/10): Chris was a bit shaky at times, but he did enough to keep PAOK at bay. He showed great hustle though, and that counts for something.
Ashley Young (5/10): Ashley was a bit too defensive in the first half, but he was more adventurous in the second half. However, his final ball still needs work.
Fred (5/10): Fred had a decent game, but he needs to do more to justify his starting place. His passing was good, but he needs to show more aggression.
Nemanja Matić (6/10): Nemanja was a steady presence in the midfield, anchoring the play and distributing the ball well. He kept things organized, which is vital in these away games.
Juan Mata (6/10): Juan was a bit quiet in the first half, but he came alive in the second half, providing some quality crosses and creating chances.
Alexis Sánchez (5/10): Alexis struggled to get into the game and missed some decent opportunities. He needs to show more urgency and be more clinical. Let's hope he finds his mojo soon.
Anthony Martial (7/10): Anthony was the standout player for United. He was a constant threat with his pace and skill, and he scored a stunning goal to put the Red Devils in the lead.
Marcus Rashford (7/10): Marcus had a frustrating first half, but he came on strong in the second half. He worked hard to create chances, and his goal was pure magic.
Substitutes:
Romelu Lukaku (6/10): Romelu came on and provided a physical presence in the attack, but he wasn’t able to have a huge impact.
Scott McTominay (N/A): Scott didn't have enough time to make an impact.
The Verdict:
Man United were frustrated by a determined PAOK side, but ultimately, they showed great character to come back and win the game. It was a close call, but the Red Devils got the job done thanks to the heroics of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
Overall, it was a decent performance from United, but they need to be more clinical in front of goal if they want to go far in this competition.