Ranking Manchester United's Most Important Players So Far This Season
While it hasn't been a bumper year for Manchester United thus far in their 2013-14 EPL campaign, things slowly seem to be on the rise.
With three back-to-back wins carrying the Red Devils into fifth spot in the league—just five points behind leaders Arsenal—fans suddenly have something to cheer about again.
Last week I decided to take a look at which players the European Champions, Bayern Munich, have had to thank for their prosperous start to the year.
It made sense that—while the two clubs have taken immensely contrasting first steps this season—I should follow suite with United and also analyse which Devils have been key to the limited success that the English champions have achieved so far.
To do this, I took the first XI squad and analysed them in regards to five crucial factors: Goal-scoring, creativity, defensive duties carried out, match time and individual flair.
While it seems unfair to assess a defender's offensive contributions, it is also important to remember the same could be said of the reverse.
As such, the system allows for players who have contributed the most to both positions to rise higher up the rankings (as they have been more important to the side as a whole).
The parameters balance each other out and the result is, for the most part, fairly similar to what this writer would have chosen even without the scoring system.
Also, remember that the stats garnered in this list are for performances this season alone. This is not a list of Manchester United's best players in general.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at the top six (or rather seven, as there was a tie) players that have had the most positive impact at United this season.
6. Patrice Evra and Phil Jones
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Patrice Evra was probably the biggest surprise on this list.
In truth, Evra really only gains a spot because of how poor most of the squad has been this year. With a score of 23 out of 50 it really shows how lacking most of the team has been in regards to their contributions.
That being said, Evra has shown for a long time now that he is more than capable of playing in a United shirt when in good form.
Against Arsenal, the left-back looked like he was back to his best, with a solid defensive and offensive outing seeing United pick up all three points.
Having made a pretty shoddy start to the year, the Frenchman has bounced back well to retain a regular spot in the starting XI ahead of Alexander Büttner.
Whether you rate Patrice as highly as ever or believe his best days in a United shirt are now behind him, he has rightfully earned a spot on this list with continued improvement throughout the campaign so far.
| Goal-scoring | 1 |
| Creativity | 3 |
| Defense | 6 |
| Game Time | 9 |
| Individual Flair | 4 |
| Total | 23 |
Phil Jones is a player who has not always made it easy for fans to love him.
Inconsistent performances have left United supporters frustrated at the England centre-back, with a promising display almost always followed by a dire outing.
This year, as Jones begins to age and mature a little, it seems as though that inconsistency is slowly starting to fizzle out of his game.
Having a player like Phil in your team is fantastic as he is capable of playing at right-back, centre-back or even somewhere in the middle of the United midfield.
This versatility has aided his rise to the joint-fifth spot here. Having Jones in the squad makes David Moyes' job a lot easier at times, with the former Blackburn Rovers man able to fill in effectively in any defensive role.
If he continues to show the improvement he has done thus far this year, then by the start of next season Jones could be a United regular. As it is, he has already started nearly every game of the Red Devils season so far in all competitions—telling statistic in regards to his importance in the side.
| Goal-scoring | 1 |
| Creativity | 3 |
| Defense | 7 |
| Game Time | 8 |
| Individual Flair | 4 |
| Total | 23 |
5. Nemanja Vidic
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Serbian stalwart Nemanja Vidic is another one of these United legends who is slowly approaching the twilight of his time with the club.
Now aged 32, Vidic is definitely not the player he once was.
However, despite that, he has once again this year (when fit and available for selection) shown us why he is still one of the first names on the team-sheet every week with some stellar performances.
The United defense hasn't exactly been a strong point of the team this year, but most positives that can be taken from it revolve around the man from Serbia's continued prosperity.
Form is temporary, but class is permanent. Nemanja Vidic has class in abundance.
| Goal-scoring | 2 |
| Creativity | 1 |
| Defense | 9 |
| Game Time | 7 |
| Individual Flair | 5 |
| Total | 24 |
4. Antonio Valencia
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If it weren't for the Ecuadorian's continuing inability to score goals as regularly as you might expect of such an attack-minded midfielder, then Antonio Valencia would have found himself a spot higher on the list.
I've always maintained that if Nani and Valencia were amalgamated into one player, they would be the "perfect" winger.
Valencia's near-frustrating tendency to always pass the ball in a goal-scoring position instead of shooting infuriates some, but is also a key reason why he earns respect from the United fans.
After what was a fantastic 2011-12 campaign, an injury saw Valencia miss most of last season. This year he is back and seemingly on top form once more.
Always able to go toe-to-toe with any defender in the league (usually winning) in a straight race for the ball and with a wicked low, driven cross in his arsenal, Valencia can at times be a nightmare for defenses to handle.
During this recent purple patch of ten games in all competitions undefeated, Antonio has been one of United's key players on the offense.
While his defensive abilities could still do with some work (as we saw at Man City), ultimately most fans consider the 28-year-old to be one of the squads most important members.
This season he has proven that.
| Goal-scoring | 4 |
| Creativity | 8 |
| Defense | 3 |
| Game Time | 6 |
| Individual Flair | 6 |
| Total | 27 |
3. Michael Carrick
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Michael Carrick finally seems to be earning the respect of all those doubters.
With a world-class performance throughout the entirety of last year (which would eventually see him nominated for PFA player of the year), it was hardly surprising that a player as mature and level-headed as the England midfielder would continue that impressive form on into this season.
While never grabbing the headlines with his play, Carrick acts as a critical pivot around which the team is able to maneuver and flourish.
In this modern day and age, keeping possession of the football is half the battle. With a player like Michael in your side that task is made tenfold easier.
Many cite Carrick's lack of goals and assists as a weakness. In regards to goals, a central midfielder shouldn't really be getting himself into a goal-scoring position all that often anyway.
When it comes to a lack of assists it's important to note how many times a United attack that has started with the ball at Carrick's feet has eventually gone on to produce a goal for the side.
Having made more appearances than almost anyone else in the squad this season, it speaks for itself that he is an integral member of the Red Devils' setup.
All in all, that continued steady play and solidness has seen United's most underrated player snatch a spot this high up the list.
| Goal-scoring | 1 |
| Creativity | 6 |
| Defense | 6 |
| Game Time | 9 |
| Individual Flair | 6 |
| Total | 28 |
2. Robin van Persie
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Many might be shocked to see Robin van Persie not at the no.1 spot.
In truth, he and the man in first place on this list are collectively streaks ahead of anyone else in the United team so far this year.
With an overall score of 36 (eight points higher than nearest rival Carrick), RVP has once again been one of the stand-out performers of the Premier League as a whole thus far.
With seven goals and two assists to his name in the league alone, that £22.5 million has already been more than paid back by the Dutch striker.
If the club have any chance of retaining their Premier League title, then they need a player of RVP's caliber to smash in about 20-25 goals this year. He is well on his way thus far.
What makes van Persie such a great all-round player is his criminally under-appreciated ability to defend from opposing corners at the near-post.
Time and time again RVP can be found making the first clearing header from a corner, before sprinting up the field and trying to get involved in a counter-attack that he himself started.
You can't expect much in terms of defensive qualities from an out-and-out centre-forward, so this contribution in itself is a fantastic aid to the team.
His partnership with the man on the top spot of this list is one shining light in a thus far gloomy season for the champions. Perhaps they can change that in the coming weeks.
| Goal-scoring | 9 |
| Creativity | 6 |
| Defense | 5 |
| Game Time | 7 |
| Individual Flair | 9 |
| Total | 36 |
1. Wayne Rooney
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Wayne Rooney wasn't even supposed to be a Manchester United player this season.
It looked inevitable that the man who has been with the club for nearly a decade was on his way out the door, with a bevy of clubs chasing after the England striker.
As it would eventually turn out, Rooney stuck with United and has at this point been their most important player of the campaign.
Playing in his more orthodox No.10 role, Rooney has returned to top form once again.
With seven goals to his name in all competitions this year and currently leading the charts as Manchester United's top creator with five assists, you would be hard pressed to argue that Wazza doesn't deserve to top the list.
The current Robin van Rooney partnership—which has seen United bounce back after a terrible start to the year—is starting to flourish thanks to Rooney's impressive improvement from last season.
This is the first time that the elite pairing have both been on top form while playing together at United, and one has to surmise that if it continues, the Premier League title may not be such an unrealistic target after all.
On top of his offensive talent, it hardly takes a genius to see the effort that Rooney puts in all over the pitch—often being found tracking back and getting in an all-important last ditch tackle.
Despite Sir Alex's criticism's of Wayne's laziness in training, the complete opposite is demonstrated from the Liverpudlian when it comes to his on-pitch persona.
For all those reasons and many more, it's hardly surprising that Rooney has been Manchester United's most important player so far this campaign.
| Goal-scoring | 8 |
| Creativity | 7 |
| Defense | 6 |
| Game Time | 7 |
| Individual Flair | 9 |
| Total | 37 |
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