Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow: Player Ratings

Manchester United clinched a crucial victory in the Champions League group stages when they narrowly overcome Russian giants CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford yesterday. United were easily the brighter of the two teams as they marched forward on numerous occasions and created a host of terrific chances.

The Russian side put in a resilient effort denying the hosts, time and again, from finding the back of the net. However, Michael Carrick's brilliant long-ball to Jesse Lingard provided a perfect cross for Wayne Rooney who clinched a vital three points for the hosts in front of an exuberant crowd at Old Trafford. With this win, United go top of the table in Group B with two games remaining and just a point separating the top three teams.

Here is the report card of the players involved in the game

Manchester United:

David de Gea - 7/10

The Spaniard had little to do during the first period of the game but showed his alertness when Chris Smalling blindly passed the ball back to him on a couple of instances. He made a terrific save to deny Seydou Doumbia in what was the best chance of the game until that moment. Ultimately, the 24-year old had another decent game.

Ashley Young - 6/10

Ashley Young was again deployed at right-back by Louis van Gaal and the 30-year old didn’t disappoint in his make-shift position. He was well-aware of the threats defensively and was equally astute going forward as well.

Chris Smalling - 7/10

Smalling again showed why he has become such a vital cog in United' defense. The English defender put in a brilliant block from nowhere to deny Seydou Doumbia from scoring. Defensively, the 25-year old marshaled his troops marvelously negating any threat from the visitors.

Daley Blind - 6/10

The Dutchman was composed as always and looked absolutely comfortable with the ball at his feet in the heart of United's defense. He also showed a good eye for the forward run of his team-mates delivering pin-point long balls on more than one occasion during the game.

Marcos Rojo – 6/10

The 25-year old left-back made surging runs across the left flank, time after time and put the CSKA back line in a quandary. He linked up well during the game with Jesse Lingard, though his crossing failed him several times.

Michael Carrick - 8/10

Carrick was his usual self in the midfield finding his team-mates at will with some highly accurate passes. It was his precise long ball to Jesse Lingard that helped United score the solitary goal of the match. He, also, shielded the United defense in central midfield cleanly breaking up play when the visitors looked to march forward towards goal.

Bastian Schweinsteiger - 6/10

The German international paired up brilliantly with Carrick in central midfield. He made some fine runs forward as well and picked out his forwards effortlessly.

Anthony Martial - 7.5/10

Anthony Martial looked the most likely of players to score yesterday until he was surprisingly substituted by van Gaal. He had the CSKA defense baffled with pace and trickery. However, he was found wanting by the linesmen as he slipped offside on a handful of occasions.

Juan Mata - 5.5/10

The Spaniard was deployed out wide in a 4-4-2 system by van Gaal and he did not fare badly at all but not up to his lofty standards. He made some terrific run towards the center and his deft touches proved to be a headache for the CSKA defenders.

Jesse Lingard – 7/10

Lingard was selected ahead of Ander Herrera and he did not disappoint. He looked dangerous every time he had the ball at his feet and proved to be a nightmare on the left-hand side for the visitors. After shifting right in the middle of the second period, it was his important cross that was gobbled up gleefully by Wayne Rooney.

Wayne Rooney – 6/10

Rooney looked out of sorts again in a United shirt and was lack-luster during the bulk of the game. He rued a great chance to help the Red Devils take the lead in the second half, but he simply could not put his feet together and shoot. However, he made for his missed chances by slotting in a powerful header to claim the winner for Louis van Gaal's team.

Substitutes:

Marouane Fellaini - 3/10

The big Belgian was brought off the bench early in the second half to help United offensively, but he hardly stamped his authority on the game. Losing possession cheaply on a number of occasions, Fellaini looked clumsy and did not create any sort of impact.

Memphis - 4/10

The Dutch sensation replaced Juan Mata and was thrown in his favorite position on the left. Apart from a bit of pace, Memphis looked average in the time he was on the pitch.

Ander Herrera - N/A

The Spaniard came late in the dying moments of the game to help out United defensively.

CSKA Moscow

Igor Akinfeev - 6/10

The CSKA captain was absolutely sound in the visiting goal as United launched attack after attack, with some great positioning and brilliant awareness throughout the game. He did not lose concentration even when United went ahead, making a brilliant save off Jesse Lingard to keep CSKA in the game.

Mario Fernandes - 3/10

Fernandes looked a shadow of what he was when CSKA played United in the reverse fixture. He was occupied throughout the game with Marcos Rojo and Jesse Lingard and could not stop them from delivering dangerous crosses inside the box, time and again. He could hardly go forward as well with United applying pressure on the left-hand side of the pitch.

Aleksei Berezutski – 5/10

The Russian defender did well in his brother's stead and managed to shirk off the threat of both Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney after a difficult start to the game. Linked up well with Ignashevich but could not prevent the Rooney's game-clinching header.

Sergei Ignashevich – 5.5/10

The experienced 36-year old defender was solid at the heart of the CKSA defense as he marshaled his back-line expertly to deny United through on goal during the course of the game. He made some vital interceptions that denied the hosts from scoring earlier than they did.

Georgi Shchennikov - 5/10

The 24-year old Russian looked comfortable at right-back and dealt with the likes of Juan Mata and Ashley Young conveniently. However, he was unable to spot the run of Jesse Lingard, who ultimately assisted the goal.

Zoran Tosic - 4/10

Tosic's return to Old Trafford was not the one he would have expected. He was forced to help out Fernandes on the left for most of the game as United plunged down the left. Going forward, he never made any piercing run at United's defense and hardly created any chances for the visitors.

Pontus Wernbloom - 3/10

The Swedish International was a mere spectator at the center of the pitch as United pushed offensively on the flanks. Even when he had the ball, Wernbloom looked off color and lost possession cheaply.

Bebras Natcho - 2/10

The least involved player on the pitch during the game. The 27-year old failed to provide cover for his defense while he never set the pitch alight going forward as well.

Georgi Milanov - 4/10

Milanov was deployed on the left wing for CKSA but never offered the staggering pace that Ahmed Musa does for the visitors. He did not see much of the ball as the CSKA defense tried stupendously to keep their attacking opponents at bay.

Alan Dzagoev - 4.5/10

Dzagoev had a decent game for the visitors and more than willing to help out his defenders against the Red Devils. Going forward though, he hardly had anything to do.

Ahmed Musa - 5/10

The Nigerian winger was forced to play as the lone forward in the absence of Seydou Doumbia and did not do much wrong for his role. Musa, however, did not get much service from his team-mates, which negated his threat over the majority of the game. He impressed with his pace and trickery, however, when he was moved to his favorite position on the left when Doumbia came on.

Substitutes:

Seydou Doumbia - 6/10

Doumbia came on in the second period of the game and made an immediate impact for CSKA Moscow. He looked threatening every time he had the ball at his feet and also had two of the best chances of the game. However, he failed to pounce on the opportunity as he was brilliantly denied by the United defense on both the occasions.

Alexsandr Golovin - 4/10

Golovin was brought on to provide some teeth to the visitor's attack. But, with United scoring just four minutes after he came on, the task got even more difficult for the 19-year old Russian midfielder.

Kirill Panchenko - N/A

Panchenko was the last throw of the dice from Leonid Slutsky when he came on in the 85th minute, but failed to provide any impact in the final moments of the game.