“I didn’t expect them to play on that kind of level after such a short time.”
I was positively surprised by the physical state and intensity,“ said Rangnick, who was mostly seen patrolling the technical area during the match. With Harry Maguire donning a bandage around his forehead for the final minutes after a nasty-looking clash, United’s defense eked out only its third clean sheet of the season in the league to complete a satisfying first game for Rangnick
“Fred has these moments, one shot per year,“ Fernandes said. Goals aren’t Fred’s strong point - his only one this season came on the opening day - but he looked something of a natural the way he calmly curled in a finish from the edge of the area with his right foot. That honor fell to Fred, the oft-maligned Brazil midfielder whose work rate and endeavor is likely to make him a key member of Rangnick’s lineup this season. “Cristiano Ronaldo’s work off the ball, chapeau,” Rangnick said with a smile.īut it wasn’t world soccer’s most prolific scorer who clinched the hard-fought win to kick off the latest new era at United since Alex Ferguson’s retirement eight years ago. Indeed, United’s players pressed high and hard in a tweaked 4-2-2-2 formation, with even the 36-year-old Ronaldo showing a work ethic that belied his age. The 63-year-old German led England’s biggest club into a game for the first time on Sunday, and his imprint was all over United’s unfussy 1-0 win over Crystal Palace that ended with a chant of “We love you Rangnick, we do” by home fans toward their new manager who is sometimes referred to as the “Godfather of Gegenpressing.” Ralf Rangnick is already working his magic at Manchester United. And something even more unlikely - a goal by Fred, off his weaker right foot. A 90-minute performance of off-the-ball intensity by Cristiano Ronaldo.
0 kommentar(er)
