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Manchester United have booked their spot in round 16 playoffs of the UEFA Europa League 2022-23 campaign and are the runner-up in Group E.
The Red Devils registered five wins and one defeat out of six group stage games in the competition, netting 10 goals and conceding three goals.
Manchester United and Real Sociedad had 15 points each but the goal difference rule helped the La Liga side finish ahead of the Red Devils.
During the group stage, several Manchester United players performed well in helping the team secure qualification for the playoff round ahead of the round of 16.
As such, this article will look at the four Manchester United players who impressed the most during the group stage.
#4 David De Gea
The Spaniard was brilliant in goal for the Red Devils and his presence improved the overall performance of his defence during the group stage.
De Gea kept a total of four clean sheets in six appearances for his team during the group stage and is the goalkeeper with the joint highest number of clean sheets in the competition so far this season.
The 31-year-old has kept six clean sheets in his last seven games across all competitions for the Red Devils and his mastery in goal will be needed in the playoff round.
#3 Lisandro Martinez
The Argentine was arguably one of the best performing Red Devils players during the group stage and his robustness in defense improved the overall performance of the team.
Martinez had four clean sheets under his belt in six appearances during the group stage of the competition.
The 24-year-old is arguably the best performing defender in the Premier League right now and he remains a crucial player in defense for the Red Devils in the qualifier for the next round of the competition.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Despite his poor run of form in the Premier League this season, Ronaldo was one of the best performing Red Devils attackers during the group stage.
Ronaldo netted two goals and registered two assists in six Europa League appearances during the group stage. Furthermore, he's the second highest scoring Manchester United player in the competition this season.
The 37-year-old registered his 57th assist for the Red Devils in the 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in their final group game.
Ronaldo's attacking experience will be pivotal for the Red Devils in the knockout round and he remains a crucial player in attack for Erik Ten Hag.
It will be interesting to see if his experience in European competitions will improve Manchester United's chances of lifting the trophy.
#1 Marcus Rashford
The Englishman has arguably been the best performing Red Devils player in the Europa League this season and his intuition in attack has been outstanding.
Rashford netted three goals and registered one assist in four appearances during the group stage. Furthermore, he's joint third with the most goals in the competition this season.
The 25-year-old remains a key player for the Red Devils and his agility in attack is crucial for Ten Hag in the playoff round.
