Aaron Wan-Bissaka v Kaoru Mitoma round two: How both players fared in United’s 1-0 defeat

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Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka faced off against Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma again.

There was a lot of anticipation for Aaron Wan-Bissaka‘s duel with Kaoru Mitoma for the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Mitoma himself summed it up as a ‘complete defeat‘ with Wan-Bissaka ensuring he did not complete a single dribble, while James Maddison hailed the United defender as the best in the Premier League one on one.

Brighton’s Japanese star had been hailed as the breakthrough star of the season and an elite dribbler. But he met his match in Wan-Bissaka.

So how did both players fare second time around, in a game Brighton won 1-0?

Wan-Bissaka v Mitoma

Intriguingly, both players were rested by their managers at the weekend and came into this match fresh.

It was Mitoma who nearly swung the game, after he capitalised on a poor Victor Lindelof pass, only for his shot to be denied by David de Gea‘s face.

The Brighton winger was braver than he was at Wembley and didn’t let his poor previous effort get him down.

But Aaron Wan-Bissaka always felt in control of the duel and his presence seemed to frequently play on Mitoma’s mind.

Wan-Bissaka was careful not to overcommit, and refused to let Mitoma cut inside. Late in the game an exasperated Mitoma had resorted to diving to try and win a penalty.

Here is a look at some key numbers…

Kaoru Mitoma

• 14 Passes Complete
• 1 Dribble Complete from 4 attempts
• 2 Shots On Target

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

• 2 of 3 Tackles Won
• 1 Blocked Shot
• 3 of 5 Duels Won

It was a good test for Wan-Bissaka and one he rose to. His performance deserved a clean sheet and so nearly got it, if not for Brighton’s 99th minute penalty after a Luke Shaw handball.

Mitoma will be glad he does not have to face Wan-Bissaka every week, and after a tougher game this time around, the United defender will probably feel the same way about the Brighton winger.