Manchester United secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the Premier League on October 23, 2023, but their performance was far from convincing.
The Red Devils took the lead in the first half through Scott McTominay, but they conceded a penalty just minutes later after McTominay handled the ball in the box. Oli McBurnie converted the penalty to level the scores at 1-1.
United were fortunate to go into the break level, as Sheffield United had created a number of chances. In the second half, United improved slightly and took the lead again through a stunning strike from Diogo Dalot.
However, United still struggled to create clear-cut chances and relied on some good saves from Andre Onana to keep Sheffield United at bay. In the end, United held on for a narrow win, but their performance will be a concern for manager Erik ten Hag.
Player Ratings
- Andre Onana (7/10): Made a number of good saves, including a crucial one in the second half to deny Sheffield United an equalizer.
- Diogo Dalot (7/10): Scored a stunning goal to win the match for United. Was also solid defensively.
- Jonny Evans (6/10): Another calm performance from the veteran defender.
- Harry Maguire (6/10): Committed a few errors, but had a good second half.
- Victor Lindelof (6/10): Solid performance from the Swede.
- Sofyan Amrabat (6/10): Had an up-and-down game, but created a lot of danger for United.
- Scott McTominay (5/10): Scored the opening goal, but then gave away the penalty.
- Bruno Fernandes (5/10): Another disappointing performance from the Portuguese midfielder.
- Antony (5/10): Was quiet for most of the game, but showed a few glimpses of his quality.
- Marcus Rashford (5/10): Struggled to get into the game.
- Rasmus Hojlund (5/10): Led the line well, but didn’t have many chances.
Overall Performance
United’s performance against Sheffield United was far from convincing. They struggled to create clear-cut chances and were fortunate to win the match. However, they did show some character to come back from behind and win the game.
Ten Hag will be concerned about his team’s performance, but he will also be relieved to have come away with three points. United will need to improve significantly if they want to challenge for the top four this season.
