Manchester United: Do the Red Devils Have Enough to Do Better This Season?

Who will be important for Manchester United in 2022/23?

Long story short, United need every player to come good and work cohesively under Erik ten Hag to gain some success in 2022/23.

Time and patience are needed to let Ten Hag implement his vision and his style of play with the team. The same style that led him to win three Eredivisie titles at Ajax.

But among the crop, there would definitely be a select few who would be pivotal to United’s fortunes in 2022-23.

1.) Harry Maguire

Despite his atrocious form last season, Harry Maguire has retained the United captaincy. Hence the onus is on him to once again come good for his club. Maguire still has the ability and quality to turn a corner.

The stats above indicate that Maguire possesses excellent passing and defensive capabilities. With his improved form in the preseason, he will be a vital component in Ten Hag’s concept of playing out from the back.

2.) Marcus Rashford

Like Maguire, Marcus Rashford will be looking to prove a point this season. The local lad will be looking to improve on his tally of five goals last season, the lowest in his career.

He will be looking to emulate his feats from the 2019-20 season. At his best: Rashford’s xG rate of 0.59 per 90 and his 54.5% dribble completion rate stand right up there with Cristiano Ronaldo who was United’s top goalscorer last season.

Therefore, with a full preseason and a fresh approach with a new manager, Rashford can once again hit the heights that are expected of him.

3.) Lisandro Martinez

The Argentine defender is an excellent addition to the Red Devils’ ranks. Martinez had a stellar season for Ajax, scoring once and assisting a further three last season. But his underlying numbers in defence and in distribution speak volumes of his quality.

Martinez’s versatility both on and off the ball makes him an ideal candidate to play in multiple positions. Either left centre-back or in defensive midfield, Martinez can play anywhere along the backline.

Last season, Martinez’s stats in comparison to defenders across Europe’s top five leagues include the following

• 1.38 shot creating actions per game – 99 percentile
• 87 passes attempted per game – 99 percentile
• 93% passes completed – 95 percentile
• 7.88 progressive passes – 99 percentile
• 6.13 progressive carries – 96 percentile
• 3.13 tackles per game – 99 percentile

All the numbers provided above statistically prove him better than Manchester City’s Ruben Dias, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, and Chelsea’s Thiago Silva.

Having played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, the Argentine nicknamed “The Butcher” will look to bring his wonderful form from the last campaign to Old Trafford. That would be music to United fans’ ears.