Man United drew 0-0 at Villa Park over the weekend, stretching the winless streak to five, though one player can hold his head high after the game; Jonny Evans.
Manchester United’s struggles continued on Sunday, as the pressure continues to build on manager Erik ten Hag. The Old Trafford side only managed a 0-0 draw away at Aston Villa, with the result certainly more pleasing than the performance.
The Old Trafford club go into the international break sitting in fourteenth in the table. Obviously, that’s less than ideal given we’re now two months into the season. The hierarchy now have some decisions to make about their manager.
In the aftermath of the Villa game, only one player comes away with any real credit; Jonny Evans.
The Northern Irishman was nothing short of sensational throughout, fully justifying his selection ahead of Lisandro Martinez.
Statman Dave gave us the statistical numbers behind the 36-year-old’s performance and they certainly back up the eye test.
The United star put in a top quality display, winning 100% of his aerial duels, 100% of his tackles and making 3 clearances during a clear Man of the Match outing from a man who rolled back the years.
Check out Jonny Evans’ game by numbers here:
Jonny Evans’ game by numbers vs. Villa:
100% aerial duels won
100% tackles won
49 touches
8/9 duels won
4 tackles
3 clearances
1 blockMan of the match. 🔴🔴🔴 pic.twitter.com/6loKhdbDVh
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 6, 2024
Eyebrows were certainly raised when Evans’ name was in the line-up, though those doubters were quickly silenced. Evans was sheer class from minute one, dealing with both Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran fairly comfortably.
You also have to remember that Evans was suffering with a minor injury in the first half. He also had to battle through the pain to ensure his side didn’t suffer yet another defeat. Not only was it a professional display, he also had to win the mental war, too.
Many members of the squad could learn a lot from Evans, who also gave a brilliant post-match interview, explaining just how much it means to him to play for Manchester United.
Do you think Jonny Evans can keep up these performance levels? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.