Manchester United vs Villarreal: 3 key battles to look out for

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 09: Victor Lindelof of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on May 09, 2021 in Birmingham, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /

Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno vs Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof

This is going to be so important. In my opinion, Gerard Moreno is one of the most intelligent and efficient players in his position. He has scored 29 goals and assisted 12 more in 43 appearances this season for Villarreal, yet no one really talks about him when there’s a debate going on about the world’s best strikers.

I don’t really know why, to be honest. Forwards usually get the praise they deserve, but Moreno isn’t getting his as much as he should.

Anyway, it will be very important for Manchester United to somehow contain him and not let him move around freely. He moves around and creates space for others and Lindelof will have to make sure that doesn’t happen as often.

We know Harry Maguire will not be able to play the game against Villarreal because of an injury that he picked up a few weeks ago. So, everything depends on Lindelof being the primary centre-back.

He will be leading the defensive line in Maguire’s absence, and he will need to step up his game if he wants to prevent Moreno from stepping up his own.

Moreno has been showing how good he is for a few years now, and he finally has a stage big enough to show the world that he really is one of the better strikers in Europe. Lindelof has his work cut out for him.

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