PSG vs Manchester United Player Ratings

By Arion Armeniakos - March 06, 2019

Photo Credits: Manchester United twitter.

Image from Manchester United.

It was never in doubt was it? Manchester United have done it again against all odds as they eliminated PSG on away goals by winning 3-1 at Parc des Princes (3-3 on aggregate) to advance into the Champions League Quarter Finals. Here are my player ratings for the match:

David De Gea: 7/10

Not a very busy evening all in all for David. He didn’t have a chance to save PSG’s goal and when called upon, he made the necessary saves.

Ashley Young: 7/10

Very shaky start for the captain as his partnership with Bailly on that right-hand side made United very vulnerable. After Bailly was hauled off in the first half, he was near flawless. He came up with some crucial tackles in the latter stages of the game to prevent danger from PSG’s front line and got his revenge on Di Maria for the torrid time the Argentine gave him at Old Trafford

Eric Bailly: 2/10

And that's probably being generous. That was arguably the worst 36 minutes of the centre-back's career. He looked just as confused as me in regards to what position he was playing and made numerous mistakes, including getting caught napping for PSG's goal, before being relieved of his duties by Diogo Dalot.

Chris Smalling: 8/10

Ever since coming back from injury, Smalling has been the clear-cut winner of the battle for the spot beside Lindelof at centre-back. Tonight was another very solid display from him. Kept a cool head when it mattered most and provided some vital clearances in added time.

Victor Lindelof: 8/10

Player of the year candidate for me. Another strong display from “The Iceman” tonight as he continues to establish himself as the anchor of our defence. Always a cool head and looking for the right pass to play out from the back. Positionally also very sound tonight. He never looked in too much trouble.

Luke Shaw: 8/10
One of the most consistent performers all season, Shaw put in yet another inspired performance against PSG, almost completely shutting down any danger coming from the French team's right hand side. His positioning in the altered formation at the start and then the usual four at the back was near perfect as he was always in the right place at the right time to get rid of PSG's dangerous approaches. And as always, he provided some much needed energy and width going forward with no natural wingers in the side.

Fred: 7/10

One of the best performances in a United shirt from the Brazilian. He was crucial in the engine room alongside McTominay. He had a slow first half but he was everywhere in the second, breaking up plays and providing some composure when United tried to keep hold of the ball.

Scott McTominay: 8/10

Ever since Matic’s injury, McTominay has slotted perfectly into that deep-lying midfielder role and tonight was another one of those quiet, but great games where a lot of his work could have gone unnoticed especially with a 96% passing accuracy! He was steady in front of the back line, always providing the necessary cover and being a nuisance to the PSG attackers who were trying to create chances. He has been proving in recent games that he can be a valuable piece in a Manchester United squad.

Andreas Pereira: 6/10

I was personally a bit disappointed with Andreas’ performance. He was trying to get on the ball in the first half but didn’t find much of it nor did he find much success with it. He was lively and trying to do things but seemingly ran out of gas in the second half.

Marcus Rashford: 9/10

Overall, not Marcus’ best performance, but he was his usual self-trying to run at defenders and create chances and he did create Lukaku’s second by testing Buffon from distance. The reason for the 9/10 rating is because of the courage and character he showed by stepping up to take that penalty in stoppage time and he slammed it into the roof of the net, not to mention the fact that it was his first ever penalty for Manchester United. Very impressive for someone so young. With that, he continued to prove that giving him the number 10 shirt was the correct decision.

Romelu Lukaku: 9/10

Romelu Lukaku has been on fire in recent weeks. Finally, the big Belgian is showing his old self from last season and he is currently scoring braces for fun. Absolutely clinical first half, two chances, two goals. He was the target man that we know he can be. The second half was a bit slower for him but not for the lack of effort. Another great performance.

Substitutes:

Diogo Dalot: 7/10

The substitute that every fan was crying out for in the first half. And the cries were justified as he had an instant impact on the game by causing Bernat problems down the right flank. He also won the last-minute penalty as his shot was handled by Kimpembe. A very good impact sub appearance again from Diogo, just like on the weekend against Southampton. You would imagine that he is very close to finally getting a start.

Tahith Chong: N/A

He made his first Champions League appearance for United but didn’t have enough time to really make his mark on the game. He had around 15 minutes on the pitch and he made some good runs late in stoppage time to relieve United from the pressure that was being piled on by PSG and helped defending the lead.

Mason Greenwood: N/A

Finally! Mason’s official first team debut. Again, similarly to Chong, he did not have enough time to make a significant impact on the game. But with that being said, just like his fellow academy graduate, he fought for every ball and joined in the defense in the dying moments of the game. Also, what an experience for him to witness this comeback as part of the first team.