It couldn’t have gone better.
When Real Sociedad equalised last week in the Basque country, the final twenty minutes were extremely nervy despite Man United controlling the game.
There is always huge pressure whenever Man United kick a ball, even more so as the focus is all on the Europa League with the remainder of the season left and the torrid time Ruben Amorim has had since arriving at the club.
Despite going a goal down extremely early, Man United roared back to comfortably win with some of the best attacking football we’ve seen under Amorim.
Here are five things we learnt from a positive, energetic win against Real Sociedad:
1. Bruno Fernandes in a rich vein of form
He always seemed to get a ridiculous amount of unnecessary flack despite being the best player since arriving, but not since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 20-21 COVID team where Man United attacked with such freedom has Bruno Fernandes looked this good.
Playing deeper and then joining the attack, slotting two penalties in comfortably, play-making from deep, none of it fazes the Portuguese footballer and he excelled in every department.
It’s been a crisis season for Man United and yet, when needed their most important player has more than stepped up.
2. Patrick Dorgu continues to impress
It’s remarkable how much better Man United look with Dorgu in the team.
Perhaps because he knows how high a full-back needs to play in this system or he has more bravery as a footballer as he hasn’t suffered the pressure some of the other players have.
Regardless, the Danish footballer was a constant thorn in Real Sociedad’s side.
Dorgu won the crucial penalty for Fernandes to make it 2-1, but whenever he was released wide, he glided forward and made an opportunity.
Amorim’s only signing of his tenure so far supports the theory that when the manager has the players he wants, we will see better football.
3. Much improved Rasmus Hojlund performance
Though it was clear the entire team was trying to get Hojlund a goal for confidence, Hojlund can be encouraged by an overall performance that was a much more energetic and effective performance.
Every striker wants to score goals, but the worry with Hojlund was that his confidence was starting to take a hit and his overall game was making Man United blunt in attack.
Hojlund wrestled with defenders less, made more runs in the channels and kept pinning Real Sociedad’s defence back.
He may not have scored, but he bagged an assist and was the lively presence Man United required.
4. Man United’s European form continues
In the Premier League, teams have higher physicality levels, coupled with the fact that tougher challenges are a normality and referees are more lax, in Europe Man United seem to find more gaps.
Real Sociedad still pressed Man United in defence and pressed them wide, but in the Europa League the attack just clicks miles better than in the league.
A slight tactical tweak of looking for Hojlund in the channels rather than over the top could be a reasonable explanation for an improved attack, but in the Europa League this season in general Man United have found it easier to score goals.
5. Europa League mission lives on
There are still many good teams in the Europa League, ones that have played better football than Man United this season.
But as long as Man United remain in the tournament and use Old Trafford as a shot in the arm, anything can happen.
With the way Man United have played, it’s perhaps unfair to expect them to win the Europa League, but if they can negotiate four huge games, they can get into a Europa League final and crucially have a chance at being in the Champions League next season.
In four weeks, Man United face a tough trip against a Lyon side containing Rayan Cherki and Georges Mikautadze.
The route to the final will not be straight forward and Lyon have a much better attack than Real Sociedad.
But for tonight, Man United gave one of their best performances in a long time to qualify for the next stages of the Europa League,
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