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It's been a bit of a strange year for Manchester United. At times, it has looked like the Red Devils have enough wind in their sails to reach their promised land once again. But on the odd day, they look like they could be torn to smithereens by a second division side.
Former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might have played too much to his players' strength. There is an argument that this came at the cost of a collective identity. When the top players fail to perform, the team fails as a result. This eventually led to the sacking of Solskjaer.
Manchester United are ushering in a new era
There is now a sense of optimism at Manchester United following the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager. The German is a widely revered coach and he is expected to do wonders with this extremely talented Manchester United side.
But before we speculate on the future, let's take a second to review the past. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best Manchester United players in 2021.
#5 Luke Shaw
It looked like Luke Shaw was well on his way to maximizing his potential in the 2020-21 season. The left-back provided plenty of thrust down the left flank. His driving runs proved to be menacing on many occasions and his link-up play with Marcus Rashford was consistently on point.
Shaw was one of the best full-backs in the Premier League last term. He carried that form into Euro 2020 and scored a goal and provided three assists in the continental competition. For a while, it looked like the sky was the limit for Shaw.
However, he has been extremely underwhelming in the ongoing season. He seems to be affected by fatigue and he has fared poorly on either side of the pitch. Shaw has even lost his starting position to Alex Telles for now.
But we are all aware of the quality he possesses and being given some time to gather his bearings could do him a world of good. For being world-class in the first half of the year, Shaw deserves a place on this list.
#4 Fred
Fred is not immune to the occasional blunder. He has been a weak point when Manchester United play out from the back on a number of occasions. The Brazilian does not fare well when he is facing his own goal while receiving a pass. He has received plenty of stick for the same.
But it's also something he has worked on and is slowly weeding out of his game. The Brazilian international is the hardest working Manchester United player in every game that he plays. He is a tenacious presence at the heart of midfield and relentlessly hounds opposition players.
During Solskjaer's final months as manager, it became quite apparent that the Manchester United frontline doesn't offer much help to their midfielders or defenders. Forced to cover too much lateral space, Fred and Scott McTominay are left exposed regularly.
In Rangnick's first few games as Manchester United, Fred has turned in some really good performances. Deployed in a slightly more advanced role, the Brazilian international has started affecting games more and his playmaking abilities have added a new dimension to United's game.
He has scored two goals and provided two assists in 13 appearances in the Premier League so far this term.
#3 David de Gea
You'd be excused for thinking David de Gea's time at Manchester United was done when Dean Henderson usurped him as first-choice goalkeeper last term. The Spaniard had become much too erratic for United's liking and it looked like his glory days were behind him.
But Henderson was sidelined for the first few weeks of the 2021-22 season. This afforded De Gea a chance to stake his claim on a starting berth once again. The Spaniard rose to the occasion and has been absolutely brilliant for the Red Devils this term.
He was heavily criticized for his poor penalty record. De Gea has already saved two penalties this season in the Premier League. It's not just that. He seems to have gained his mojo back and when he is at his best, he is an elite shot stopper.
He has only kept four clean sheets this term but it's not a fair reflection of how well he has performed for the Red Devils this season.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a massive impact at Manchester United on his second coming. He got off to a flying start, scoring a brace in his second debut for the club against Newcastle United. Ronaldo has since then gone on to commit multiple rescue acts across all competitions for Manchester United.
He has been in incredible form in the Champions League, scoring six goals in five appearances. He has 13 goals and two assists from 19 appearances across all competitions so far this term.
The 36-year-old's arrival took a bit of fluidity away from Manchester United's frontline. But he more than makes up for it with his clinical finishing and the ability to come up clutch when his team needs him most. For the sheer impact he has had this term, Ronaldo sits close to the top of the list.
Also read about Cristiano Ronaldo’s Parents, what they do and where are they?
#1 Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes has had to negotiate a bit of a positional change to accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo this term. He has played in a slightly less advanced position in the ongoing season and his goals have dried up a bit because of the same.
But no player in this Manchester United side is capable of orchestrating play and creating chances at the rate that Bruno Fernandes does. The Portuguese international is not the tidiest in possession but that's because he is a risk taker.
He has the technical ability to match his unreal vision and that's why Fernandes is capable of pulling off the spectacular on a regular basis. He has scored five goals and provided nine assists in 22 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils this season.
He has created a chance every 31 minutes in the Premier League so far this term. The 27-year-old has created more chances from open play than any other player in the Premier League in 2021.
