Abhranil Roy
In a season that has seen most players perform way below their standards, it is indeed hard to pick out 5 best performers who have delivered all throughout the season. The likes of Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Juan Mata and Michael Carrick have mostly been poor or average at most, and combined with Louis van Gaal’s puzzling tactics and horrible playing style meant that we are going to miss Champions League football again next season, and have also scored the lowest number of goals ever in our Premier League history. Under such challenging circumstances, the only ray of hope is the FA Cup, and if we win it, it will be a massive mental boost. However the final is still a few days away, and before that, I take a look at United’s best players this campaign:
1. DAVID DE GEA (9.5/10)
De Gea is worth his weight in gold, simply because he has been our savior again this season. The Spaniard has kept 15 clean sheets in the league this year, and narrowly missed out on the Golden Glove to Petr Cech. With 2.24 average saves per game, he has won us games on his own, and is one of the prime reasons why we have the best defence in the Premier League, along with Tottenham Hotspurs. The former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper is also adored and worshipped by the fans, which is the why they voted him to win a 3rd consecutive Sir Matt Busby Player Of The Year, making him the first player in the club’s history to do so.
2. ANTHONY MARTIAL (9/10)
The 19 year old came to United with a huge price tag, and the English press immediately labelled him as a waste of money. Ever since that debut goal he scored against Liverpool in September, the boy has not looked back, scoring 17 goals and even carrying the team on his own in many occasions. The manner in which he glides past opposition defenders to shoot or set up his team mates is a delight to the eyes, and he has also racked up 8 assists in this campaign. Considering he is still only 20, there is a lot to look forward to from this young colt, and one hopes he only gets better and better with age.
3. DALEY BLIND (8/10)
The Dutchman has been a critical part of United’s backline this year, which has only conceded 35 goals in the league. He has successfully contained the likes of Sergio Aguero, Olivier Giroud and Romelu Lukaku, strikers much stronger or faster than him, thanks to his impeccable positioning sense and game reading skills. Blind is also very good on the ball, and has created 32 chances in the 2015/16 season. However, his inability to handle pressure situations, like the games against Wolfsburg last December or West Ham United a few days back have cost us.
4. CHRIS SMALLING (8/10)
Chris Smalling has been nothing short of a revelation this season, having made 35 appearances in the league and not having made a single defensive error. He has been a leader at the back, marshalling his troops and rightly won the Player’s Player Of The Year award last week. The former Fulham centreback has been physically imposing and has also defended smartly, something which has seen him win 53% of his duels without having received a red card.
5. WAYNE ROONEY (7.5/10)
The United captain has spent a long time in the treatment room this year, but even then he is easily one of the players of the season. With 14 goals in all competition, he has been a handful whenever he has featured, and has specially excelled in that central midfield position he has been put in ever since his return from injury. As a fanboy, I hope he can lead his team to an FA Cup triumph, which coincidentally is the only medal missing from his illustrious trophy cabinet.
