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A win is a win; that’s the bottom line for Manchester United coming out with all three points from Saturday’s early clash against Watford. A stoppage time strike from Bastian Schweinsteiger, albeit via the feet of Watford skipper Troy Deeney, eventually settled the scores in a hard fought game at Vicarage Road.
Manchester United, who were without Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial up front, went up early thanks to a strike from Memphis Depay, who managed to found the back of the net with a glorious volley. The hosts, however, eked their way into the game after withstanding pressure from United in the early goings and were rewarded with a penalty late in the game which Troy Deeney duly converted after Marcos Rojo was adjudged to have hacked down Odion Ighalo in the box.
However, a late strike from Schweinsteiger in “Fergie time”, meant that Manchester United would go back home with all three points in the bag. So, how did the players on the pitch fare? Here are the player ratings from the game.
Watford
Heurelho Gomes – 6/10
The Brazilian inadvertently had his share of shaky moments in the game that was accompanied by a couple of saves that helped keep Watford in the game, but all in vain at the end.
Allan Nyom – 5/10
He looked shaky all day on the right side of the defence for the Hornets. A sliced clearance early on ended up on the roof of the net, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Craig Cathcart – 6/10
He was partially at fault for the opening goal. But, there is not much you can do when both the finish, as well as the cross are as crisp as they were.
Miguel Britos – 6.5/10
The best amongst the four in the Hornets’ backline. He looked cool and composed and dealt with whatever was thrown at him.
Ikechi Anya – 6/10
Anya looked out of sorts in the left-back slot and was duly moved to the right-wing after the break where he had a bigger impact.
Etienne Capoue – 7/10
Capoue made his presence felt throughout the game, closing down passing lanes and disrupting the tempo that Manchester United were trying to set. The Frenchman provided a stout shield in front of the Hornets’ back four.
Ben Watson – 6.5/10
A classic Ben Watson performance you might say. The unspectacular midfielder put in another good shift, thwarting the Red Devils in their pursuit of opening up gaps in the middle of the park and beyond.
Almen Abdi – 6.5/10
He came into his own during the second half as Watford as a team also started growing in confidence. Abdi was denied a memorable goal only by the brilliance of David De Gea.
Jose Jurado – 4.5/10
He struggled to create any problems down the left in the first half and was duly taken off at the interval.
Troy Deeney – 7/10
Deeney made an impact on both ends of the pitch. The skipper gave the Hornets the equalizer as he coolly slotted the penalty home in the 87th Â?Â?minute. But just as the final whistle got near he was desperately unlucky to be at the end of a Bastian Schweinsteiger strike, where he blocked the shot but carried it into the goal with him.
Whilst he looked isolated many a times in the first half, he was pivotal in helping Watford change gears in the second and epitomizes the never-say-die attitude the Hornets carried with themselves all along the 90 minutes.
Odion Ighalo – 7.5/10
Ighalo again showed why he has been garnering such lavish praise throughout the season. The forward was always on his toes and made life difficult for the Manchester United backline with his sharp movement and play. Eventually, it was a foul on him by Rojo that lead to the penalty awarded to Watford.
Substitutes
Nathan Ake – 7/10
Ake’s introduction really had a pivotal impact on the game as he shored up the left side of the backline. His involvement helped the home side grow into the game and take it to Louis van Gaal’s men.
Juan Carlos Paredes – 6.5/10
He brought a new dimension to the Watford attack, but couldn’t help them from going down eventually.
Manchester United
David De Gea – 8/10
De Gea kept Manchester United in the game as the hosts began turning the screws in the second half. He was Johnny-on-the-spot to save two ferocious drives from Troy Deeney but his best save of the night came when his lightning quick reflexes helped keep Abdi’s shot away from the goal.
Ashley Young – 7/10
Young began to make a bigger mark on the proceedings only after he was switched to wing-back. His movement and crosses from the right gave the hosts constant headaches. He lost the ball callously once in the first-half giving Watford possession in a dangerous area but, luckily for him, wasn’t punished.
Phil Jones – 7/10
The defender provided a great shift next to Chris Smalling, making his presence felt both in the air as well as on the ground.
Chris Smalling – 7.5/10
Smalling is slowly but surely building up his reputation as the one of the best, if not the best, centre-back in the league. Another strong performance from the England international helped thwart Ighalo for the majority of the game and he nearly pulled off a spectacular winner minutes before Deeney’s equalizer.
Daley Blind – 7/10
Blind started the game on the left side of a flat back four but was pushed into a wing-back role following Ander Herrera's withdrawal. He looked fluent in both roles with his dexterity in the short passing games catching the eye on more than once occasion.
Morgan Schneiderlin – 8/10
Schneiderlein is growing into the lynchpin in the middle of the park for Manchester United day by day. He was ever-present in the middle and a great block from an Ighalo effort embodied his importance to the side.
Bastian Schweinsteiger – 8/10
The German midfielder served the final killer punch at the end of the game, although it will go down as an own goal. Ably supported Schneiderlin in the double pivot as he and the Frenchman helped United control the tempo for large portions of the game.
Juan Mata – 6.5/10
The Spaniard didn’t have the impact he usually has on proceedings for United. While there weren’t any glaring mistakes to be seen, he didn’t quite light it up either.
Ander Herrera – 7/10
His cross for the opener was money on the spot. However, not much more was seen from the Spaniard after he was taken off injured even before the game clock hit 30 minutes.
Jesse Lingard – 6.5/10
Another encouraging display from the youngster who was bursting with energy for all 90 minutes. However, he should have put the game beyond Watford when he tried in vain to lob Gomes after finding himself one-on-one.
Memphis Depay – 7.5/10
Depay played as the focal point of the attack with both Rooney and Martial unavailable. He opened the scoring with a delightful cushioned volley while his movement and link-up play was graceful, even though the final product at the times lacked any worthy praise.
Substitutes
Marcos Rojo – 6/10
Rojo replaced Herrera after he was injured in the first half and looked solid for most of the game. But his petulance gifted Watford a way back into the game with a needless challenge in the 87th minute.
Paddy McNair – 6.5/10
The youngster replaced Phil Jones with 20 minutes to go in the proceedings. A bit rash at times, but nothing too unbecoming from the Northern Irishman.
Andreas Pereira – N/A
He replaced Juan Mata for the final ten minutes of the game but couldn't really make a telling impact of any sorts.
