Aaron Wan-Bissaka was recalled to the Manchester United starting line-up for the crunch clash with Leeds this afternoon.
Diogo Dalot has been performing impressively in the right-back slot but perhaps Ralf Rangnick selected his team here with one eye on the midweek clash with Atletico Madrid.
The conditions were so tough to play in, with the rain pouring down and making passes slow up as they travelled across the pitch.
But Wan-Bissaka stood up well to the intensity of Leeds’ play, and was ably assisted by the more defensively minded Jesse Lingard on the right before he was replaced by goalscorer Anthony Elanga.
As per WhoScored, he was heavily involved and had the most touches of any player on the pitch for either side with 70.
His tally of four interceptions was higher than any player in a red shirt as he looked to stop Leeds creating their trademark overloads down the flanks.
Nobody in red made more tackles than Wan-Bissaka’s three, as his trademark ability in that area came to the fore on an afternoon where sliding challenges were often the order of the day.
There were also three clearances – only Victor Lindelof made more in Rangnick’s side – as well as a rare shot on goal for the defender.
The performance was not perfect but it will have given Rangnick food for thought ahead of the huge clash with Atletico.
United may need to do more defending on the night and Wan-Bissaka would be the more conservative choice away from hope in Europe.
The German will want competition for places and even if Dalot comes straight back in, the fact that Wan-Bissaka did well when called upon should ensure the Portuguese defender keeps his standards high.
This was not an easy game for any United player and it must have been harder for anyone coming in without much match sharpness, and Wan-Bissaka, 24, did well.
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