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Manchester United were inflicted with another shocking defeat by Watford as the Red Devils lost the game 4-1. Misery continues for the Red Devils and Ole Gunner Solskjaer as the bottom-ranked team ruthlessly dominated them over 90 minutes. United went into the game as favorites despite their recent struggles, and no one expected a humiliating result.
Watford took the early lead with a strike from Joshua King before Ismaila Sarr doubled it just before half-time. Donny van de Beek was able to pull one goal back but United were absolutely outplayed by Watford. Goals from Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Bonaventure in the dying moments of the game sealed United's fate.
Solskjaer's future at Old Trafford does not look bright with talks of him being sacked to pave the way for a new manager.
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Despite bolstering their squad in the summer transfer window, Manchester United have only deteriorated in the current campaign. A distinct lack of motivation led to another uninspired performance and defeat. The defeat saw them slip further below in the Premier League table.
Clearly, there are some players who have underperformed against Watford and that was the reason for their defeat. On that note, let's take a look at
5 Manchester United players who underperformed against Watford
#5 Nemanja Matic
Following poor performances from Fred and Scott McTominay, Solskjaer turned to veteran defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic against Watford. The Serbian has undoubtedly been one of the best in business for the majority of the last decade. He was unfortunately unable to deliver the goods against Watford.
Matic was unable to produce the performance needed to stop Watford's midfielder from utilizing the flaws in midfield. The 33-year-old was dominated by Sarr and Cleverly for the majority of the game as Watford took advantage of gaping holes in United's defense.
#4 Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes has proven himself to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. The Portuguese often remains the difference maker for Manchester United but he was completely indecisive against Watford.
Bruno was well marked throughout the match and was unable to make any impact whatsoever. The midfielder's passing lane was cut-off by the opposition and he was unable to be of any help to Solskjaer's men.
His mistake also gave away a penalty early in the game but Sarr failed to convert it for Watford.
Although it is true that Bruno's compatriots were simply not up to the mark, a lot is expected from the Portuguese. His uninspiring performance under pressure tonight will be a huge concern for United's hierarchy.
#3 Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was touted as one of the best at his position when he signed for Manchester United in 2019. Unfortunately, he has been one of their worst players this campaign and the story was no different against Watford. The right-back was clearly outsmarted on the right and cut a sorry figure at the end of the match.
It is no secret that Wan-Bissaka was not that great on the creative front but he was pretty solid defensively. However, the defender has only regressed to shocking levels. He did not offer much defensively or offensively throughout the game.
Wan-Bissaka was just a mere spectator as he haplessly saw United concede four goals against Watford. The right-back was disappointingly poor and the Watford forwards gave another reality check to the player.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's inclusion in this list could divide opinions. But considering the expectations surrounding him, he was another player who failed to make any impact on the match.
Manchester United were not flexible up front and Ronaldo did not offer any fluidity with his movements or with his passes in the final third. One could argue there was a lack of support from United's midfield. However, Ronaldo had some chances to bring the Red Devils back into the game.
Ronaldo is not the left-winger he used to be but he is expected to score goals and more so, when his team needs one the most. The Portuguese did not drop deep to help with the ball progression. He also missed a couple of chances, one of which was saved by Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster.
#1 Harry Maguire
The less we talk about Harry Maguire, the better. The Englishman was absolutely clueless in defense against Watford. He moreover offered nothing as a leader when Manchester United were 2-1 down for the majority of the game. It is quite evident that he is not a first-team quality player for the Red Devils.
Maguire failed to stamp his authority on the match with the Watford forwards taking advantage of his mishaps. The lack of commitment at the back was disappointing considering how the centre-back used to be the best in business not so long ago.
With Raphael Varane out due to injury, a lot has been asked of Maguire. He has failed in every aspect. It was again evident against Watford where, eventually, Maguire was deservingly sent off after a foolish and reckless challenge.
