Yeovil vs. Manchester United: Winners and Losers from FA Cup Game
Manchester United progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, beating Yeovil 2-0 in the depths of Somerset.
Ander Herrera's golazo opened the scoring and shook up a dull game in the second half, and Angel Di Maria sealed it in stoppage time with a chipped one-on-one effort.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Loser: Darren Fletcher, Who Continues to Underperform
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It's almost as if Darren Fletcher isn't aware he has great competition for a central midfield berth.
The Scot, who some may argue only continues to be retained due to affection post-injury and illness, disappointed once again in the engine room as Manchester United looked dire for long stretches on Sunday.
His passing was slow and sloppy, his movement was distinctly average and he epitomised the away side's cumbersome approach. Ander Herrera, too, underwhelmed.
Winner: Stephen Arthurworrey, Who Impressed in Last-Ditch Challenges
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Yeovil weren't exactly stressed in defence due to Manchester United's lackadaisical approach to the game, but on the occasion they did try to spring something, Stephen Arthurworrey was up to the task.
He delivered two excellent last-ditch challenges to prevent positive runs and dribbles into space, and Luke Shaw began cutting inside in the first half to get away from his presence.
Loser: Paddy McNair, Who Looked Shaky Against Lower-League Opposition
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We're a long way from Paddy McNair's heroic Premier League clearance on his debut earlier this season. Right now, he's the source of frustration and target of abuse for some Manchester United fans.
As he's played more games, he's proven himself to be something of a question mark, and his performance against Yeovil—a team bottom of League One—was filled with uncertainty and riddled with errors.
He hand-balled it as the last man while botching a simple controlling of the ball in the first half, somehow getting away with it and avoiding severe punishment.
As cringe-worthy as it is, "Paddy McMare" is becoming a common phrase used on Twitter.
However, McNair received words of support from Darren Fletcher, who told MUTV: "Credit to the players, but look at Paddy McNair. He had blood gushing out of his head, a Terry Butcher headband on, and he dug in deep right until the end and showed real character today. I’m very proud of him."
Winner: Angel Di Maria, Who Provided Some Spark
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Manchester United dominated possession for long stretches of the game—in particular at the beginning and when killing it off late—but struggled immensely to string any sort of fluency into their play.
Angel Di Maria did improve things after coming on, though, with his agility, speed and positivity giving the Red Devils an extra edge. It also marked his most promising cameo since being injured during the festive period, and it's clear he's on the mend.
It was a good, progressive day for the Argentine in which he proved his fitness and his worth. His goal at the end, a cute chip, sealed it.
Loser: Kieffer Moore, Who Squandered That One Big Chance
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When a team like Yeovil draws a team like Manchester United in the FA Cup, the entire team begin envisioning a glorious upset and the adulation that follows. Strikers, in particular, get the most hyped—they know a chance will likely fall to them, and if they convert, they'll be heroes, their names written into folklore.
For Kieffer Moore, only part of that became a reality. A good cross from the right fell to him after a flick, but he was unable to slot home, seven yards from goal, one vs. one with David de Gea, and crucially, when the score was at 0-0.
He'll always wonder what could have been had he kept his cool.
