Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat put in a complete performance on his first ever start at Old Trafford.
It looks like he was worth the wait. Sofyan Amrabat had an eye-catching first start for Manchester United, featuring at left-back and central midfielder in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The Morocco international played only 61 minutes, taken off as United continue to manage his fitness.
In that hour of football, we saw enough to see Amrabat will be a major asset, with his desire to compete, get on the ball, and move it. And the statistics back that up…
Amrabat v McTominay
Sofyan Amrabat needed just one game to complete more passes and make more touches of the ball than Scott McTominay has done all season for Manchester United.
While it was a home game against Palace, these figures are embarrassing for McTominay, who has started games against Brighton and Burnley, and featured as a substitute against Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and Bayern Munich.
SCOTT MCTOMINAY SEASON STATS:
- Touches: 90
- Passes Complete: 49
- Minutes: 203
SOFYAN AMRABAT STATS V PALACE:
- Touches: 92
- Passes Complete: 78
- Minutes: 61
READ: Nine things we learned as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 3-0
Amrabat is the midfielder Ten Hag needs
Scott McTominay has struggled to win over Erik ten Hag and he was available for transfer at the right price this summer, The Telegraph reported.
Sofyan Amrabat is a player Ten Hag knows from his previous spell at Utrecht, and he has grown into an even better player since, proving himself at the World Cup.
Amrabat demonstrated against Palace his eagerness to get on the ball, and be available to his teammates in the build-up. That’s in addition to his tireless defensive work.
McTominay missed the game against Palace due to illness, and he faces an uphill struggle to get back into the Manchester United midfield, with Hannibal also impressing and Mason Mount also providing an additional attacking option.
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