Hannibal Mejbri received a late red card as Manchester United’s under-23 side slipped to defeat in the EFL Trophy.
Even this could not take away from an impressive evening from the talented midfielder.
Hannibal had provided an assist just minutes earlier, with a curling cross headed in by Bjorn Hardley.
He was sent off after battling to win the ball back chasing an equaliser with United 3-2 down. Charlie McNeill had netted United’s first.
Hannibal was a bit too over-exuberant after being brought down himself and committed a foul. He was handed a second yellow card and that was the end of his night.
Quality on display
Hannibal was comfortable taking players on, leaving Lincoln’s players in his track on several occasions as he burst through with possession to start off attacks, nutmegging an opponent in the first half.
He was able to switch the play well, making one 40-yard pass to a teammate on the opposite touchline.
Lining up in a central midfield position, Hannibal’s passing was an asset, often direct and finding teammates in space.
It was also interesting to see his ability to evade the press and retain possession when pressured. There was one occasion in the second half where a Lincoln midfielder came to try and pressure him, and Hannibal simply turned away, sprinted forward in possession and beat another two opponents before making a pass.
It was a performance with shades of a Frenchman in United’s first team, and he looked like a player who had been spending time training with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stars in recent weeks.
His performance highlighted what a special player United have on the books, and United are right to want to keep hold of him.
This could be a breakthrough year for Hannibal, and it would not be a surprise to see him make several first team appearances in midfield over the course of the campaign.
This was Hannibal’s first competitive appearance at any level this season, and it may have been enough to earn him a Carabao Cup start in September.
Reaction
Here is a look at how Manchester United fans reacted to Hannibal’s performance…
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