Facundo Pellistri could be set for an opportunity at Manchester United in the coming weeks.
South American winger Facundo Pellistri is the player many Manchester United fans want to see step in for Antony. The Brazilian winger will delay his return to the first team while he deals with off-field allegations.
Pellistri has been getting match minutes with Uruguay, featuring in their 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Chile, in which he featured as a starter.
He played 71 minutes, taken off after Uruguay had scored their third goal of the game.
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Facundo Pellistri praises his teammate
Pellistri played at right wing in Uruguay’s win and he spoke afterward to ESPN Deportes and praised the connection with Cagliari’s Nahitan Nandez, who was deployed at right-back.
The 21-year-old Manchester United winger explained: “Nahitan makes it much easier for me in terms of overflows because he is constantly overflowing and passing me, so it makes it easier for me and I can give it to him so that he can make the cross
“I take a role a little more inside. The dynamic of the team, once the ball is recovered, is to go with many players on the attack, so more than anything the ones who overwhelm the most are the full-backs.”
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Can Manchester United replicate same approach
One issue Pellistri could encounter at Manchester United is that the Uruguayan would be partnered up with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is not known for his prolific attacking approach. There would be more onus on Pellistri to be the one who puts the crosses in.
Although, this is an area Wan-Bissaka is looking to improve. He did deliver the assist for Raphael Varane’s season opener, and he at least offers Pellistri some security from a defensive perspective.
Speaking more about Uruguay’s approach under new manager Marcelo Bielsa, Pellistri did explain how the high work rate on both sides of the ball mirrors what Erik ten Hag looks for.
He said: “He also really wants us to come back to help the defense and be a team together, so I think that was a bit of what was seen against Chile: the explosiveness when it comes to attacking when we recover and also when it comes to having to defend.”
Uruguay face Ecuador in the early hours of Tuesday, before he returns to Manchester, with a potential role ahead in upcoming matches against Brighton and then Bayern Munich.