Responding to pressure
If you d have been informed at the start of this season that Manchester United would concede 11 goals in their very first 3 Premier League games you d expect to see Dean Henderson in objective for the 4th video game.
In reality De Gea hadnt done a great offer wrong regardless of the dreadful start to the season, particularly defensively. He was unfortunate his penalty save versus Crystal Palace didnt count and made fine conserves versus the Eagles and versus Brighton.
He did well to claw away Alain Saint-Maximins fierce first-half drive however his stretching conserve from Callum Wilsons toe-poke early in the 2nd half was exceptional. Not just did De Gea make the conserve but he got enough behind it to claw it away from Wilson, who was waiting to catch the follow-up.
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There was always a theory that a greater challenge for his place in the team might be just what he requires and in Henderson he has that now. So far De Gea is rising to that difficulty and he made some key saves versus Newcastle.
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Matas enduring class
The most surprising component of the objective was that Wan-Bissaka discovered himself because position, well inside the penalty location in the last number of minutes of a game which United led just narrowly.
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Timing is everything
Mata continued his remarkable start to the campaign and was Uniteds a lot of imaginative player, regularly wandering infield from the right to find area in dangerous areas. United might not have got the right-winger they wanted in the transfer window, however in Mata they still have an excellent option for that position.
But this had actually been a far better assaulting efficiency from Uniteds right-back, who continues to improve in that regard. When he has clear turf to run into and his assaulting contributions can be quickly defined, with Mata cutting inside he frequently offered an overlap and has typically looked better.
This was the first time Juan Mata had started a Premier League game for United because February 1 but on the proof of his performances up until now this season he wont be waiting more than 9 months for the next one.
This season the 32-year-old has actually shown he has plenty still to use in 2 outstanding Carabao Cup video games against Luton and Brighton and this Premier League start was overdue.
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A subtle pre-match message
Offered the tough games to come this month this was a component that just needed to end in a win for United and Solskjaer. They will take self-confidence from the performance and belief from the outcome. To have entered into succeeding league games versus Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton without these 3 points would have been a big ask.
Solskjaer has made a routine of getting wins at crucial phases in his United tenure and this fits right into that category. When he saw the manner of Newcastles opener he would have been fearing the worst and when Bruno Fernandes missed out on a second-half penalty that feeling would have been reinforced, but United emerged with the success their play should have.
The message was clear there. He was not impressed with the way United set about their company versus Spurs and you believe he made his sensations clear. Every footballer can be forgiven a bad day however to be criticised for your attitude and body movement is damning.
United had been the much better side at St James Park but time was going out before Fernandes produced a fine finish after excellent play from Donny van de Beek, Mata and Marcus Rashford.
We can just guess that some of those players dropped to fall under that category, the majority of clearly Paul Pogba, who has been poor up until now in the Premier League this season. Now Solskjaer has to hope the message is surviving.
Provided the difficult video games to come this month this was a component that just had to end in a win for United and Solskjaer. To have actually gone into successive league video games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton without these three points would have been a big ask.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka may have had to wait on his very first United goal but when it arrived it was a net-buster, an intense strike that gave a hurt Karl Darlow no opportunity.
Possibly Mata was marginalised as a result of the arrival of Bruno Fernandes but those two really connected rather well after Fernandes January arrival. When the front 3 of Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were run into the ground last season, with Solskjaer bemoaning his choices off the bench, maybe he needs to have turned to Mata more often.
United need more in the final 3rd from their full-backs so this was an excellent night for Wan-Bissaka, topped with a memorable moment.
The message was clear there. He was not impressed with the method United went about their organization versus Spurs and you believe he made his feelings clear. Every footballer can be forgiven a bad day but to be criticised for your attitude and body language is damning.
Wan-Bissakas enhancement
That start against Wolves was in fact the third league start for Mata four video games however he d wandered to the fringes since then.
When Solskjaer spoke with the broadcasters before kick-off at St James Park he was asked what he wished to see from his side after having 2 weeks to mull over the 6-1 loss to Tottenham, and after asking mostly for a reaction he listed “energy and attitude” as well as “various body language”.
