United beat Leicester 3-0 last time out
United beat Leicester 3-0 last time out
It's been an uplifting few weeks for Manchester United. Since the defeat to Tottenham on February 16 they are unbeaten, except for an FA Cup tie decided on a penalty shootout, picking up two draws and two wins in the Premier League and safely booking their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
But a bright few weeks still doesn't mask what a wretched season it has been for the club.
13th in the Premier League, out of both domestic cups and with their European hopes for next season entirely reliant on Europa League success, DVDs of United's 2024/25 campaign are unlikely to be in high demand even if the season's crescendo does see them lift silverware in Bilbao.
There have been far fewer highs than lows and so the consistency of summer signing Noussair Mazraoui deserves recognition.
The Morocco international has proved to be a savvy purchase at just £12.8m with a possible £4.2m in add-ons. Rarely have his performance levels dipped and, while he might not get fans on their edge of their seats, being able to produce week in, week out during a season that could stretch to as many as 60 games should not be underestimated.
So, Mazraoui should be a shoo-in for Ruben Amorim's best XI, right? Not quite.
His versatility has been a huge asset as United continue to battle with injury issues, with Mazraoui playing at right-back, left-back, right wing-back, left wing-back, centre-back and even No.10 this season. But with players returning from injury it's difficult to see where he plays in Amorim's strongest XI.
Patrick Dorgu is a much more natural fit to play at left wing-back, with Diogo Dalot likely to be preferred on the opposite flank.
Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro could both be back from injury for the trip to Nottingham Forest on April 1, and they will likely be picked to play alongside Matthijs de Ligt if fit.
Mazraoui's versatility has been invaluable during United's injury crisis, but it could prove to be his downfall as those in the treatment room return.
---
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.