Ranking Manchester United's Top 5 Players for February 2016
February was looking like a pretty terrible month for Louis van Gaal and Manchester United. It started well, with a 3-0 win at home to Stoke City, wherein United played some of the best football they have all season. Then came a creditable but ultimately frustrating draw at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.
Then the wheels really started to fall off, as a loss to Sunderland was followed by an embarrassing away-leg loss to FC Midtjylland.
However, the manager has righted the ship by injecting some youth into the side and getting better performances out of his more experienced players.
Shrewsbury Town were comfortably dealt with in the FA Cup. Midtjylland were demolished at Old Trafford. Then came the coup de grace, as an injury-ravaged, mid-crisis United managed to beat Arsenal, an almost fully fit group of title challengers, at Old Trafford.
Because of the Red Devils' mixed fortunes, none of these five players have played well in every game. For the most part, they are players who have made a big difference in the games in which United have played well, rather than the ones who have put forth a consistent effort throughout the month—though consistency is a factor too.
There are no defenders in the mix, as this month has mostly been about the forward players, but Daley Blind narrowly missed out on fifth place thanks to his relative consistency and his fine distribution of the ball when United are in possession. Blind's exclusion means that not one of the players in last month's top five makes the list.
And in the case of the No. 1 pick, it's fair to say that his remarkable story factors into his placement.
5: Jesse Lingard
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Jesse Lingard is enjoying a breakout season with United.
He has notched two assists and three goals in February, and his pace and directness have made a difference down the Red Devils' right flank. He lacks the kind of remarkable skills that Anthony Martial and Memphis Depay possess, but he has been effective and determined throughout the month.
His presence on the right has occupied defenders, helping to create space for Juan Mata and whoever plays at right-back. That has been particularly relevant when Guillermo Varela has occupied that spot since Varela is such an effective force when United are attacking, which was evident in January against Derby County and most recently against Arsenal.
Others may have grabbed the headlines, but Lingard has been a buzzy, important presence in United's attack.
4: Ander Herrera
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Unlike Lingard, Herrera is enduring a difficult season. He did not start in any of the first three games in February, and when he returned to the side against FC Midtjylland in Denmark, he was distinctly underwhelming, taking three off-target shots and being dispossessed three times.
However, things have taken a considerable turn for the better since then. An assist against Shrewsbury Town and goals against Midtjylland and Arsenal have seen him make an important contribution. But perhaps even more than those goals, it was his all-round performance against Arsenal that was the most heartening.
Having been out of form—and often out of favour with Van Gaal—there have been plenty of questions surrounding Herrera. Against Arsenal, he showed why so many have been baffled by his lack of inclusion. Playing in a midfield two with Morgan Schneiderlin, he made five tackles—only Schneiderlin made as many—and his passing was creative and forward-thinking much of the time.
The end of the month was extremely positive for Herrera, and his performance against Arsenal was absolutely crucial, thus he pips Lingard's consistency here.
3: Juan Mata
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Juan Mata is back.
Or at least, having moved inside to No. 10, Mata has made strides towards showing why United paid all that money for him in the first place.
He has not made the monthly top five since September. February has easily been his best month since. His two exceptional performances came against the weakest opposition United have faced—Midtjylland at Old Trafford and Shrewsbury away.
In the latter, he made a remarkable eight key passes and scored a well-deserved goal, as he essentially ran the game. In the former, he made five key passes and provided an assist—though he did miss a penalty.
However, it is not just against the weaker sides that he has been important. He helped keep the ball moving fluidly through United's attack against both Stoke City and Arsenal.
His move inside has been an obvious positive for United, who look much more balanced with pace on the flanks and Mata's guile at No. 10.
2: Memphis Depay
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In truth, Memphis is a little unfortunate that his debut appearance in the monthly ranking is not at No. 1. He has had a very good month.
It had a nondescript start—he came on as a substitute against Stoke and Chelsea, looking fairly bright, if not spectacular.
Midtjylland was the turning point. Unlike the majority of United's side, he played well away in Denmark, scoring a fine goal and foreshadowing his star turn at Old Trafford by completing seven of the nine dribbles he attempted. He also made two key passes and raised a few eyebrows with a hint of a return to form seemingly in the air.
His performance against Shrewsbury was also effective—he made four key passes in that game. Then came his spectacular performance against Midtjylland at home, about which more can be found here. Suffice it to say that Midtjylland's right-back, Andre Romer, said after the game, per Goal.com:
"I’ve never been so close to crying after a match as I was today. Memphis is the best player I have ever faced. It was difficult to do anything about it when he plays like that.
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He is the best. He can do anything. He went inside, outside, turned me around and used his incredible pace to get past me.
Then, against much tougher opposition in Arsenal, Memphis was quietly effective, stretching the play and showing some incredible skills.
He looks to be settling in at Manchester United.
1: Marcus Rashford
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The top spot could only go to one player this month. Memphis may have taken a while to settle, but Marcus Rashford fitted in straight away.
Even though he has only played two games, Rashford's impact made him a shoo-in for this spot. Emerging from the United academy, the local lad was thrust into the spotlight thanks to a warm-up injury to Martial in the buildup to the home leg against Midtjylland.
That was no problem for Rashford. He nabbed a brace.
It was all well and good, an uplifting football fairy tale. But what came next was much more significant, as he repeated the trick against Arsenal, earning an injury-ravaged United a crucial three points. Rashford has enjoyed an electric start to his Old Trafford career, and for the sheer joy he has brought United fans, he earns the No. 1 spot here.
All advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.
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