Ranking Manchester United's Top 5 Players for March 2016

Louis van Gaal's Manchester United do not really have good months anymore. The last time they spent a calendar month unbeaten was November 2015, and that featured a couple of scrappy wins and the 0-0 home draw against PSV Eindhoven that effectively scuppered their Champions League campaign.

However, it should also be said that they rarely have months without at least a bright spark here and there. December 2015 was probably the only month that could be categorised as disastrous. Van Gaal's side always seem to have the potential to get themselves out of the mire just in time to avert catastrophe.

March 2016 was, thus, a typical month for this incarnation of United. There were scrappy wins, a couple of debilitating defeats and a win over local archrivals, which ensured the possibility of a top-four finish stayed alive.

All of this instability means picking out star performers is really tough. Other than this month's No. 1 pick, no one had a solid 31 days. This is not surprising given that United played six, won two, drew two and lost two.

Between squad rotation, players being in and out through injury and fluctuations in form, there have been big variations in who has played well and poorly on a game-by-game basis.

With all that said, let's take a look at the four players who limped over the line into a top-five finish, and the one player who excelled all month—who would not look out of place at any team in the world.

5: Anthony Martial

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Martial scores what could have been an important penalty against Liverpool.

Anthony Martial's April has got off to a smashing start, thanks to his goal against Everton at Old Trafford—United's 1,000th in the Premier League.

His March was a much more mixed affair. Starting with the bad, he was almost completely ineffective against Liverpool away in the Europa League. He completed just one of his three attempted dribbles, gave the ball away with 22 per cent of his passes and in spite of playing at centre-forward did not muster a single shot. 

That performance and pretty nondescript outings against Watford and West Bromwich Albion are the reason he is not further up the list, but he makes it into fifth by way of his goals in the two subsequent games, against West Ham United and Liverpool.

The West Ham goal was vital, ensuring Manchester United were still in the FA Cup draw. It was a poacher's finish at the far post—as, incidentally, was his goal against Everton on Sunday.

His successful penalty against Liverpool was ultimately fruitless, but at the time it put United back into the tie. His coolness under immense pressure was not surprising—it appears to be a defining characteristic—but it was nonetheless impressive.

A decent month with a couple of standout moments is enough to scrape Martial onto this list. He will no doubt top equivalent lists in future months for much of his United career.

4: Morgan Schneiderlin

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Schneiderlin was involved in a tough midfield battle against City.

Morgan Schneiderlin pips Martial to fourth—though there is not much in the rankings between numbers five and two—by virtue of a more consistent month. He was one of the very few United players to emerge with any credit from United's 2-0 loss at Anfield, where he managed to just about hold his own game together in spite of being partnered with Marouane Fellaini at his least effective for that one.

He started the month with a performance against Watford where he saw a lot of the ball and mostly made effective use of it, completing 89 per cent of his 61 attempted passes. 

He was bafflingly left out of the side against West Bromwich Albion away. Coming on as a substitute with less than half an hour to go he was unable to make much of an impact.

Against Manchester City he did pretty well when United had the ball, completing 43 of his 48 passes. Defensively he was a little less robust than normal, though he completed the one tackle he attempted and made two interceptions.

Though United won that game, in truth their midfield was a little overrun, as hinted at by the disparity in the two sides' shot counts—26 to five in City's favour. 

But generally speaking in an underwhelming month, Schneiderlin has done what has been asked of him, and rarely let his side down. It was not the kind of month to set pulses racing, but nonetheless he is worthy of his fourth place here.

3: Jesse Lingard

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Lingard shows exactly how much he enjoyed United's win over City.

Jesse Lingard's month has seen him make a surprise move inside to No. 10 and where he has acquitted himself well.

It was against Liverpool and Manchester City in March's last two games that he played more centrally, and his impact was certainly noticeable.

It is reasonable to hold doubts about his absolute level of quality, and indeed his productivity given he didn't provide a goal or assist in the month. However, whatever proves to be his eventual quality, it is certain that his attributes—speed, movement off the ball and tenacity in particular—are helping United to be a more functional unit.

He is not afraid of putting in a shift, either. Notably before his move inside, against West Ham in the cup, he made six tackles, a figure only matched by Michael Carrick in that game.

Lingard continued his bright form with a lively display against Everton, but for the month of March he acquitted himself well in two positions. More is needed, but it has been a promising first season so far.

2: Marcus Rashford

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Rashford provides the moment of the month.

This one is a pretty big cheat. In truth, Rashford's month as a whole was pretty shaky. He was almost entirely ineffective on the right-hand side in the first half of the first leg against Liverpool, for example. Some of the accountability for that lies with Van Gaal's decision to throw his youngster in at the deep end in that fashion, but nonetheless Rashford did not shine.

He did not score, of course, until his final game of the month, but that goal was important enough to send him rocketing up the charts.

He had put in other good performances in March, notably in the second half against Watford when he was switched to the right of a front three. He completed four out of the five dribbles he attempted in that period, and stretched Watford's defence with a threatening and lively display.

But it was the goal against City that earned him a sentimental spot at No. 2 here. It was just such a magnificent moment. It highlighted that Rashford's early threat was not a flash in the pan, and was such a cool and well-taken finish. He should have earned a penalty shortly afterwards, and generally made himself the toast of the red side of Manchester.

For contributing the month's best moment, he belongs in this lofty spot.

1: David De Gea

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De Gea celebrates Rashford's goal at the Etihad.

With a little over a month to go until the end of the season, David De Gea is not yet a shoo-in for an embarrassing third player of the season in succession. Anthony Martial could maybe run him close, and there was a period where Chris Smalling might have been in with a shout, though his form has dipped.

Daley Blind might even be worthy of consideration.

But in March, there was not really much doubt who United's best player was. He was outstanding against Liverpool at Anfield, where he kept the score to 2-0—it could have been much more.

Let's look at the numbers—three saves against Watford, one against West Brom—of their two shots on target. There were six in the first leg against Liverpool, two against West Ham, six more in the second leg against Liverpool and three against City.

He is an absolutely outstanding 'keeper, and was United's best player in March by some distance.

Advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.