Viktoria Plzen 1-2 Manchester United Player Ratings as Rasmus Højlund brace off the bench rescues the Red Devils 

In what was an important showdown in the top half of the Europa League standings, Manchester United made the visit to Viktoria Plzen, as both sides looked to secure their place in the top 8. With a lot on the line, let’s see what ensued during their match.

By all means, Manchester United took the time to settle into the game as they have done in the past few games. That said, Viktoria Plzen were not too fussed about the visitors keeping more of the ball and bid their time to strike. By the end of the first half, both sides were guilty of a certain lack of edge and real quality in front of the goal. That said, a mistake early in the second half gifted the hosts a goal. That said, Man United grew back into the game and clawed back two goals to settle the tie.

All in all the game despite a lack of quality on both sides, became very watchable in the second half owing to how end-to-end it got. Whilst Viktoria Plzen held on to the lead and then the tie quite valiantly, the riches at Man United’s disposal ensured that they walked away with all three points.

Viktoria Plzen Player Ratings vs Man United

Goalkeeper

Martin Jedlička: 7.5/10- Made a few very decent saves and some that kept his side in the game. Left in a one-on-one situation a number of times, the keeper did his due diligence and repelled the Man United attackers to the best of his ability.

Defenders

Václav Jemelka: 6.5/10- Had a few good moments but ultimately started to tire and that really showed in his awareness of the game and his lethargy when contesting duels or going in for tackles. 

Svetozar Marković: 6/10- Seemed to be having a good game but was outdone on two occasions, including the second Man United goal, which effectively killed the tie and undid all their hard work.

Sampson Dweh: 7/10- Solid and imposing for the most part. Took to his duties with a no-nonsense attitude and kept things secure from his side as much as he could. 

Midfielders

Cheick Souare: 7/10- One of the better players for his side on the day. Solid in defense and managed to get further up the pitch to chip in with a few crosses and even a threatening shot with his weaker foot. 

Lukáš Kalvach: 6.5/10- Ever present in midfield and kept things purring for his side from midfield. Did get outdone in defense for the first goal and that was possibly the only drawback of his otherwise solid performance. 

Lukáš Červ: 7/10- One of the best players for his side and for large parts of the game, one of the best on the pitch. Was at the heart of everything good about the hosts and was vital in helping them get further up the pitch.

Cadu: 6.5/10- Showed glimpses of some real ability in the first half, getting past his man and contributing well in offensive transitions. Faded a little in the second half, but had a strong performance for a large part of the game. 

Attackers

Pavel Šulc: 7/10- Was ever present on the pitch and one of the key players for the home side. Did a lot of the hard running in the first half, before popping up with an important interception and assist in the second.

Matěj Vydra: 7.5/10- The former Burnley man turned up at the right time to capitalize on a Man United mistake, slotting in the goal. Was well involved in the build-up before and after his goal and tested the keeper well near the end of the first half.

Daniel Vasulin: 6.5/10- Was a threat from set pieces but barring that was a lot less present during build-up and other parts of play. Did impose his size and strength on the opposition from time to time but could have benefitted from better service too.

Substitutes

Prince Kwabena Adu: N/A

Milan Havel: N/A

Alexandr Sojka: N/A

Manager

Miroslav Koubek: 6.5/10- Set his side up well and had good impact with his half-time team talk. Should have made changes earlier and managed the game better after taking what looked like a very secure lead.

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Man United Player Ratings vs Viktoria Plzen

Goalkeeper

Andre Onana: 5.5/10- Didn’t have much to do despite being called into action on a few occasions. Made a mess of a few high claims, wiping out his own player in one instance. Had another horrific error giving away the ball under minimal threat which resulted in a goal.

Defenders

Noussair Mazraoui: 7/10- Made a few vital tackles and interceptions, especially in the second half. Was slightly careless in possession in the first half but fixed up well as the game went on.

Matthijs de Ligt: 7/10- Solid in the heart of defense and managed the backline well. Dealt with most threats quite handily and eased the pressure a number of times.

Lisandro Martínez: 7/10- Slightly careless with his distribution at times which put his team in trouble. Was back to his defensive best and in the second half helped his team get further up the pitch.

Midfielders

Tyrell Malacia: 6.5/10- Energetic and active but lacked the cutting edge or the quality required from him on the flank. Struggled defensively on a couple of occasions but other than that was not too hassled.

Casemiro: 8/10- A strong presence in the center of the park and did a lot of the dirty work, cleaning up loose balls and making tackles to win the ball back as well. One of the standout players for Man United and on the pitch.

Bruno Fernandes: 8.5/10- Ran himself ragged contesting duels in the middle of the park. Showed that bit of quality in the second half which was very needed and turned the tide in Man United’s favor.

Diogo Dalot: 6.5/10- Bit of a standard performance from him on either flank. Rotated possession well and kept things ticking, occasionally flying in for a tackle or two.

Attackers

Marcus Rashford: 6/10- Struggled to get into the game and had a few very lackluster touches and attempts at trying to make things happen. Could not link well with his teammates or create anything substantial on his own.

Amad Diallo: 7.5/10- Was much more threatening playing further forward than usual. Showed his quality in a split second with a brilliant piece of skill and got the assist. Barring his corners, had a very good performance.

Joshua Zirkzee: 6.5/10- Tried to link the play and make things happen from much deeper. Was swarmed out on a few occasions and could have done well to lay the ball off instead. Still, provided a lot for the United attack, especially in the first half.

Substitutes

Rasmus Højlund: 8/10- Made the perfect impact off the bench with his two goals. Despite his usual clumsiness, he got into some great positions which ultimately yielded him the goals. Could have easily gotten more.

Antony: N/A

Mason Moun: N/A

Manager

Ruben Amorim: 7/10- Was visibly cross with some of the inefficiencies of his team. Took a gamble with the offensive changes and it paid off. Will need to implement his ideas better and instill a sense of urgency in his side though.

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