Player ratings as Red Devils enter FA Cup fourth round

Manchester United worked for the next round of the FA Cup thanks to a 1-0 victory over Watford at Old Trafford.

The hosts got out of the traps and took the lead thanks to Scott McTominay’s header on a corner from Alex Telles, who came off the post after just four minutes.

Neither team has created much else in a fairly lackluster affair, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men will have their names in the hat for the fourth round thanks to the win. Here’s how each player performed at night.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Dean Henderson (GK) – 5/10 – A few erratic moments in the first half, including a kung fu kick on Eric Bailly just before half time. I didn’t have a lot of backups to do though.

Brandon Williams (RB) – 6/10 – Kept Zinckernagel silent on his debut, but that wasn’t a threat enough for United.

Eric Bailly (CB) – 5/10 – Didn’t have much to do in the first half before being substituted as a precaution due to a potential concussion.

Axel Tuanzebe (CB) – 6/10 – Well treated with Pedro and Gray’s pace but a little too lively at times to win the ball early. Has been booked.

Alex Telles (LB) – 6/10 – A constant threat to the left in the first half and got the assist for the first goal. Quieter in the second half but also well defended.

Scott McTominay (CM) – 5/10 – Started brilliantly with a goal and was well defensively, but struggled on the ball completing only 80% of his passes.

Donny Van de Beek (CM) – 6/10 – Bright moments throughout and well linked to Juan Mata in particular. Kept the ball through the night with 96% of his passes completed.

Jesse Lingard (CAM) – 5/10 – Showed good intention at first, but disappeared from the game and justified Solskjaer’s reasons for not giving him much playing time recently.

Juan Mata (RW) – 5/10 – Drifted a lot inside to bond in midfield and had a big chance saved in the first half after a great game with Van de Beek. Not much else than that.

Daniel James (LW) – 4/10 – There was a bright five minute aperture and then everything went downhill from there. Would not have seemed out of place in the opposition lineup.

Mason Greenwood (ST) – 5/10 – Barely got service in her favorite role and struggled to make an impact before being replaced.

Harry Maguire (CB) – 6/10 – Came in for the injured Bailly and looked after everything comfortably through the night.

Marcus Rashford (LW) – N / A

Anthony Martial (ST) – N / A

Nemanja Matic (CM) – N / A

WATFORD

Daniel Bachmann (GK) – 6/10 – There was nothing I could do for the goal and he made some decent saves to give himself a good account.

Marc Navarro (RB) – 6/10 – Frustrated Dan James all night and won more tackles than any defender at Watford on the night with three.

Francisco Sierralta (CB) – 6/10 – Kept Man United’s attack quiet throughout and distributed the ball well, completing 93% of his passes.

William Troost-Ekong (CB) – 6/10 – Handled Greenwood’s threat well and defended the area well, winning more aerial duels than any other Watford player while on the pitch.

Adam Masina (LB) – 5/10 – I didn’t have a lot of defense to do but didn’t offer enough to go forward and was substituted before the hour.

Ismaila Sarr (RM) – 6/10 – This was Watford’s selling point on the counterattack and, for lack of a final product, they could have had a more successful exit.

Will Hughes (CM) – 5/10 – The then prodigy really struggled in midfield on the ball, but made more tackles than anyone (5).

Nathaniel Chalobah (CM) – 6/10 – led the team well, being aggressive and trying to be proactive, but was forced into a hamstring injury late.

Philip Zinckernagel (LM) – 5/10 – His debut was a bit of a non-event as he struggled to secure a change from Williams before being substituted.

André Gray (ST) – 5/10 – An honest day’s work from the former Burnley man, but one that ultimately couldn’t beat either of United’s middle halves.

Joao Pedro (ST) – 5/10 – was livelier in the second half but never really got to show his talents.

Muñoz makes his first and second changes of the evening.

➡️ Sema, Ngakia
⬅️ Sarr, Masina

⏱ 58 ft
? 1-0?@EmiratesFACup | #MUNWAT

– Watford Football Club? (@WatfordFC) January 9, 2021

Jeremy Ngakia (LB) – 5/10 – Was made to be a more offensive threat, but the pattern of the game never changed.

Ken Sema (RM) – 5/10 – I tried to be more direct in the future, but it wasn’t enough to really bother United.

Ben Wilmot (CB) – N / A

Joseph Hungbo (LM) – N / A

Daniel Phillips (CM) – N / A