Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has tasted defeat for the first time as Manchester United caretaker manager
The Premier League side lost 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford in the first leg of the last-16 Champions League tie.
PSG fully deserved their win and United were outclassed for large spells of the game.
Here’s how we rated the United players:
David de Gea – 6
The United goalkeeper was rarely tested in the first half and helped keep the score down in the second half with a couple of smart saves.
He should have left his line to claim the cross before PSG’s opener, but was still one of United’s better performers.
Ashley Young – 5
The full-back had the freedom of the right-wing in the first half, but his final ball often let him down.
Eric Bailly – 5
One of the United players culpable for PSG’s first goal. Bailly failed to attack Di Maria’s cross and also, understandably, struggled with the pace of Kylian Mbappe.
Victor Lindelof – 5
One of the most improved players under Solskjaer, but Lindelof had a tough night and couldn’t get near Mbappe.
Luke Shaw – 5
He has become an important attacking outlet for United but struggled on Wednesday night. Shaw’s performance was summed up by the hospital pass he played to Pogba before the French midfielder was sent off.
Nemanja Matic – 6
Matic was a clunking presence under Mourinho, lumbering around in midfield as opposition players and the ball whizzed by him.
Under Solskjaer, he has been reborn, passing the ball forward, flying into challenges and giving his teammates a base to attack from. That continued on Wednesday night. Well, in the opening 30-minutes anyway when Matic snapped into tackles, made several interceptions and was precise with his passing.
But after hitting a few misplaced passes, the Serbian midfielder faded from the game. He was badly at fault for PSG’s opener, switching off as Presnel Kimpembe scored at the back post.
Ander Herrera – 5
The Spanish midfielder was busy but failed to properly get to grips with Marco Veratti in the PSG engine room.
Paul Pogba – 5
The French midfielder has been in sensational form since Mourinho departed. In 10 games, Pogba has scored eight goals and registered six assists. On Wednesday night, he couldn’t continue that excellent form.
Other than one brilliant passage of play in the first half, this was the ineffectual and frustrating version Pogba.
He was crowded out by PSG’s midfield and failed to have a positive impact on the game. He lost his discipline and was rightly sent off for a senseless challenge late in the game.
Jesse Lingard – 6Â
Lingard was bright in the first half, linking up with Rashford and springing a couple of counter-attacks for his team with some clever passes. However, he was forced off injured just before half-time.
Anthony Martial – 5
Anonymous in the first half, the French forward couldn’t get into the game and spurned a great opportunity midway through the half when he failed to control a pass that would have set him through on goal. Taken off for Juan Mata at half-time after picking up a knock.
Marcus Rashford – 5
Rashford has established himself as United’s first-choice centre-forward over the last eight weeks, scoring six goals and registering two assists in that time.
It was a quiet night for him against PSG, however. Rashford had United’s only effort on target, forcing Buffon into a save at his near post with a stinging shot. But faded after that and was rarely a threat.
Substitutes:
Alexis Sanchez – 3
The Chilean came on as a second-half substitute but had no impact whatsoever on the game.
It appears that it just won’t happen for Sanchez at Old Trafford, and, judging by his performance against PSG, it will be hard for the club to find anyone to take him off their hands.
Juan Mata – 5
A stodgy and ineffective display from the midfielder.
Romelu Lukaku – N/A
Not on long enough to rate.
