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#2 MIDFIELDERS
Jose Mourinho characteristically sets up his teams with ball-winning and dominant center midfielders to free up the forwards. Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba largely fulfilled those roles last season, with the young McTomminay making several appearances from the heart of midfield as well. Jesse Lingard linked up well with his teammates' last term out, and his pace from midfield always provided an outlet for United. Mourinho sanctioned the signing of Fred, who will add further grit and control in midfield. Andreas Perreira is the ‘one to look out for’ for United supporters, after his encouraging performances in pre-season.
FRED: 80 --> 82
Signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for a considerable 50 million pounds, Fred is a Brazilian international of some pedigree. He follows the likes of Willian, Douglas Costa, and Bernard as Brazilian talent exported from Shakhtar. Strong and physical in his approach, Fred also has flair, vision, and wide-range of passing in his arsenal. In the last season, Fred chipped in with 4 goals and 3 assists, which is a good return for the central midfielder. Hence, an increase in rating by 2 points is expected.
PAUL POGBA: 87 --> 89
Paul Pogba looked impressive in United colors last season. His double in the Manchester derby to inspire a United comeback proved his mettle as a ‘big game player’. However, off-field controversies with Mourinho was a recurrent theme throughout the season, which may be worrying for the United faithful. Although it can be argued that he has still not reached the high standards he set for himself at Juventus, Pogba was still crucial to United’s set-up last season, scoring 6 goals and providing assists as well.
Pogba’s highlight of the year was his starring role in the French first XI that emerged as world champions in the FIFA World Cup, 2018, scoring a cracking goal in the final. His performances last term out merits an upgrade of 2 points.
NEMANJA MATIC: 83 --> 84
Matic was typically solid at the base of midfield, constantly shielding his defense from opposition attackers. He showed remarkable consistency throughout the season, going on to make an astounding 36 appearances, and playing 49 matches in total. To add to his defensive contributions, he also scored 2 goals, while his goal against Crystal Palace is still in the memories of United fans. Matic will hope to build on last season, and he deserves a 1-point increase in rating.
ANDREAS PERREIRA: 77 --> 79
Perreira, now 22-years of age, will hope the 2018/19 is the breakout season for him at Old Trafford. He was loaned out for the last 2 seasons at Granada and Villareal respectively. He made 23 appearances for the yellow submarines and chipped in with a solitary goal. Perreira also had a fantastic pre-season, that stamped his mark as a potential starter for Mourinho. Given his performances, he should get an upgrade of 2 points.
JESSE LINGARD: 81 --> 83
Jesse Lingard is a cult-figure in world football at the moment, with his off-field (and on-field) antiques making him a prominent figure in football pop-culture. The 25-year old England international made 33 appearances for the Reds last season, scoring 8 goals in the Premier League, and 13 goals in all competitions. His pace and drive from midfield were valuable assets for United on numerous occasions. Lingard also enjoyed a productive World Cup with England, with whom he reached the semi-finals and chipped in with a solitary assist and a goal. An upgrade of 2 points is expected in FIFA 19.
SCOTT MCTOMINAY: 68 --> 75
The 2017/18 season for the young Scottish midfielder was his break-out year. Mourinho placed his trust on the youngster on numerous occasions last season, mostly from the starting XI. Perhaps still learning his trade, McTominay has the ideal mentor in Matic with whom he shared a productive midfield partnership. Interestingly, he received the Manager’s Player of The Year from Mourinho, an award that was exclusively created for him. Hence, a substantial increase of 7 points is on the cards.
JUAN MATA: 84 --> 84
The 30-year-old Spaniard is a gem of a player. His touch on the ball, coupled with brilliant vision and passing abilities are delightful to watch for not just United fans, but football lovers across the globe. He made 28 appearances in the Premier League last year and featured in 6 CL matches. Mata chipped in with 3 goals in total last season. His rating of 84 should remain unchanged.
ANGEL GOMES: 64 --> 69
17-year-old Angel Gomes is an exciting talent in midfield, and United fans will hope he gets to showcase his talent in the 2018/19 season. Having already won the prestigious U-17 World Cup with England in 2017, Gomes certainly looks to be a star for future.
