Manchester United ended the 2022-23 season on a fairly impressive note. Erik Ten Hag led the Red Devils to the Carabao Cup trophy and the finals of the FA Cup in his first season in charge. United also finished third in the Premier League, finishing behind Arsenal and Manchester City. They were unexpectedly knocked out by Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
The Red Devils finished with 75 points from 38 games in the league. They won 15 of their 19 home games and 8 games away from home. In the course of the league season, United lost 9 games and drew 6 times. They also scored 58 goals, the tied 7th highest in the league, and conceded 43, the tied 3rd lowest.
Here are some of the key statistics for Manchester United from the 2022-23 season:
Minutes Played:
Erik ten Hag made use of 26 different players throughout the Premier League season. Only Brentford, West Ham, and Manchester City used fewer players. The average age of the squad was 26.9 years, making United the 8th oldest squad in the league.
The Dutch tactician mainly favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation but could switch to a 4-2-2-2 or 4-3-3 too. 22 players registered over 1000 minutes across all competitions for the Red Devils this season.
Goals
Marcus Rashford had a phenomenal season as he bore the weight of finding goals for the team. With 30 goals, he more than doubled the tally of Bruno Fernandes, the second-best finisher in the team. Rashford did not receive much support from the other attackers in the team. Anthony Martial endured another injury-ridden season, while Jadon Sancho and Antony struggled for form.
Wout Weghorst and Cristiano Ronaldo managed just 5 goals between them, playing half a season each. Anthony Elanga failed to even open his account in 26 games, mostly off the bench. However, young winger Alejandro Garnacho appears a promising bet for the future. The 18-year-old found the net 5 times, and was a constant menace down the left flank whenever he played.
Bruno Fernandes, Fred, and Casemiro also chipped in with useful contributions from the midfield. The trio registered a combined total of 27 goals, with Marcel Sabitzer, Scott McTominay, and Christian Eriksen also chipping in.
Finishing is an area of concern the Dutchman has to address for next season. United managed 56 league goals from an accumulated xG of 67.7. The -12.3 under-performance means the Red Devils were the third-worst finishers last season, only ahead of Chelsea and Everton. In comparison, Arsenal and Manchester City overperformed their xG by 11.9 each.
Creativity
Ten Hag’s midfield was the creative outlet for the team. Bruno Fernandes in particular stood out and comfortably leads the assists chart. The Portuguese midfielder was in fact, unlucky to not end up with even more assists based on the quality of chances he created.
Fred, Casemiro, and Eriksen are also once again involved. Similarly, Marcus Rashford’s impact is also easily visible. The presence of both Garnacho and Luke Shaw in the list will be encouraging for Ten Hag. The Dutchman could seek to explore this combination down the left-wing more often next season.
Dribbling
Manchester United have an abundance of players who are confident on the ball. Rashford, Antony, Sancho, Elanga, and Martial are all confident and love to express themselves when the ball is at their feet.
Having a frontline of players who are capable of beating their man for speed or skill has benefitted United many times. It helps the team to break down a solid defensive structure set up by the opposition. Furthermore, by winning fouls higher up the field, the attackers have the ability to win penalties or free-kicks from dangerous positions.
Passing
Manchester United averaged 57.3% possession during the 2022-23 season, the sixth-highest in the Premier League. Erik Ten Hag has always preferred a possession-reliant system and his first stint at United did not stray away from his principles.
The obvious takeaway is that the Red Devils favored the left-side in the build-up. Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez are among the best passers from the defence across the world. As a result, the team would often try to locate them in order to play out of a high press.
Casemiro also does not function like a typical DM. He has the freedom to roam ahead and pick up spaces further up the field. Christian Eriksen often compensated for the Brazil international by dropping deeper in the midfield.
Eriksen and Casemiro were instrumental in progressing the ball into the final third. In comparison, Bruno Fernandes and Fred played higher up. Hence, they were more likely to receive the ball in the advanced areas, rather than make the line-breaking passes themselves, but exceeded in both roles.
Defensive Actions
Manchester United also have some excellent quality at the back. Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are excellent at holding their ground against opposition tacklers. Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Casemiro also offer security down the middle.
Goal-Keeping
David De Gea was the Dutch manager’s preferred shot-stopper across all competitions in the last campign. The Spanish shot-stopper featured in 58 of United’s 62 games, with Tom Heatron and Martin Dubravka playing 2 games each.
The Spaniard faced 215 shots and affected 156 saves. He boasted an impressive save% of 73.5 but conceded 61 goals. De Gea also managed to keep 25 clean sheets. Dubravka faced 4 shots and saved two while conceding from the other two. Heaton on the other hand, affected 4 successful saves and did not concede even a single goal.
Key Takeaways
1. More Depth Needed
The Manchester United manager had the tendency to stick to his proven XI for most games in the 2022-23 season. This proved costly as the team appeared jaded in certain key games of the season. United will need to sign some new players to provide depth in some key positions. In particular, Rashford, Bruno, Casemiro, and De Gea have no capable deputies in the squad.
2. Reliable Performances From Fringe Players
In the positions that United do have depth, the players have impressed. Fred, Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have always shown their quality when called upon. Similarly, Lindelof, Sabitzer, Pellestri, Elanga etc. have looked bright in spells, and could do better with more minutes.
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3. MVP?
Marcus Rashford received plaudits for a stunning season in front of goal. However, yet another phenomenal season from Bruno Fernandes went under the radar. The Portuguese midfielder was a constant presence everywhere on the field.
Bruno gets involved in the build-up deeper in the field, and also takes the responsibility of creating chances in the box. He has played as an attacking midfielder, winger, and even in a double pivot, but the quality of his performances have remained constant.
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