Bayer Leverkusen vs. Manchester United: Live Player Ratings for Utd

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Manchester United travel to Germany in a crucial away tie with Bayer Leverkusen. We'll be keeping tabs on who's doing what throughout the game.

Be sure to keep tabs as we update at halftime and then full time. 

Individual player ratings

David De Gea - Was kept on his toes throughout the game, but besides from a Reinartz half chance half way through the second half and a Derdiyok shot at the dying minutes of the game, the goalkeeper had very little to deal with. 

Chris Smalling - With a goal to his name, Smalling will undoubtedly remember this game for some time to come with an excellent performance in terms of going forward and defending. 

Rio Ferdinand - Had very little to do, but did well to keep Steffen Kiessling quiet for the duration of the game. Whether that was down to the striker or his own defending is still unclear, but a clean sheet none-the-less. 

Johnny Evans - In much the same fashion as Ferdinand, Evans had very little to do due to Leverkusen's genuine inability to create chances. Pulled off an excellent last ditch challenge to halt Kiessling's one golden chance at goal in the first half. 

Patrice Evra - The full back certainly exerted himself as one of Manchester United's better players but also one of the sides' most experienced. His ability to offer options in attack as well as ensure the defence kept a tight line was vital to this efficient win.  

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Ryan Giggs - Looked at odds early on in the game against the skilful Heung Min Son, but as the game went on and Manchester United began to exert their dominance on the game, the veteiran 

Phill Jones - The industrious midfielder proved his use in an unnatural role once again against a Bayer side that would usually pride themselves on their ability to counter attack. His task was to stop that and he did it wonderfully. 

Antonio Valencia - Before his opening goal Valencia was actually rather quiet, but once he knocked the ball in to the back of Bayer's net on the 22nd minute, the right winger never stopped wit his incessant torture of left back Emra Can.  

Shinji Kagawa - Kagawa started the game in the unusual, or rather unlikely, role of number 10 and surprisingly managed to cope in this alien position. His touch was that which started the counter attack that formed the first goal, and he was the one that was fouled before the second. The Japanese international was quite simply excellent in the role that made him famous at Dortmund. 

Nani - The Portuguese winger came back in to the side as something of an outcast at Manchester United, yet played in a front four that simply ticked along perfectly. United's fifth goal was a thing of beauty as the winger turned Leno in goals and casually chipped the ball in to the back of the net. If only his talent could shine like this more often. 

Wayne Rooney - Despite playing as the sole striker for the duration of the game, Rooney was actually one of the few United players that didn't get on the score-sheet tonight. Yet his magical touch and vision was necessary in almost every goal for the side. Manchester United's unselfish talisman and quite simply their best player.  

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