Manchester United got their first win of the season on the board against Burnley, which was made needlessly difficult, until one player stepped up.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty in the final minute gave them a 3-2 victory over Burnley, but it shouldn’t have been that hard.
Man Utd lost a lot of opportunities and lacked the quality that all elite teams must possess: poise.
That is, until a player made a brilliant cameo and immediately brought composure and control to the field.
Man Utd calmed by Noussair Mazraoui
Ruben Amorim, who is infamously hard to impress, once referred to Noussair Mazraoui as the “future of Man Utd” for a reason.
He is the ideal player on a squad consisting of hotheads and driven guys because of his versatility and technical prowess.
Although it’s admirable to play with your emotions, the situation frequently calls for composure and restraint.
Before coming off the bench for his first minutes of the season in the 85th minute, Noussair Mazraoui had been sidelined by injury for the whole season.
At the moment, United was in full swing after giving up an equalizer once more and facing the prospect of losing additional games.
When the Moroccan entered the game as the right-sided center-back, his signature poise with the ball immediately gave the match structure and control.
United abruptly began directing their attacks to their right, and Mazraoui advanced the ball with perfect accuracy, forcing Burnley to retreat in a logical fashion.
After some outstanding play down that side by Mazraoui, Amad, Mbeumo, and Fernandes, the winner was awarded a penalty.
The wide center-back position appears to be an ideal fit for Mazraoui’s skill set, as the wing-back positions are now set and require more dynamism than control.
Mazraoui will quickly regain undroppable status
Fortunately for Ruben Amorim, Mazraoui’s absence was not very noticeable even though he missed the entire season up until this time.
In his absence, Matthijs de Ligt played impressively as the central center-back, and Leny Yoro advanced significantly.
Nevertheless, Mazraoui’s presence was felt even while his absence was not, which says a lot about the special skill set he offers.
He is a logical improvement over Diogo Dalot because of his background playing as a full-back but with a stronger defensive mindset.
Mazraoui will now play as the RCB while Yoro will play on that side, allowing Luke Shaw to rest.
Mazraoui is the epitome of a “Rolls-Royce” defender—not the most physically intimidating, but a smooth operator. Most United defenders are dynamic or physical freaks.
He will soon reclaim his undroppable status thanks to the crucial balance that comes from injecting pure brains into an athletic team.
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