Manchester United secured their second win of the Europa League campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.
Rasmus Hojlund and Noussair Mazraoui were the standout performers but Manuel Ugarte’s impressive display also deserved plenty of praise.
Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves described Ugarte as ‘unreal‘, and he was spot on with his assessment.
The £42 million-rated star made his first start under Ruben Amorim at Man United, partnering Bruno Fernandes at the base of midfield.
Ugarte was imperious in the middle, making four tackles and two interceptions. He wasn’t dribbled past even once and won five of his seven duels.
He lost possession only five times, the fewest of any United player who played the full 90 minutes on Thursday. His midfield partner, Fernandes, lost the ball 12 times.
Ugarte’s superb ball distribution also caught the eye of the supporters as he completed 61 passes with an accuracy of 92%.
His ability to play cross-field balls has improved massively and that could help United to open up the defence.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star also earned his first assist of the season.
He made a smart run inside the box and picked Hojlund with perfection at the near post.
He pressed high to win the ball which ultimately led to Hojlund’s first goal after sublime work from Mazraoui.
Ugarte covered the ground well in midfield and his relentless work off-the-ball could make him undroppable under Amorim.
He is likely to become a vital cog for the Red Devils due to his tenacity and intelligent game-reading.
Ruud van Nistelrooy gave consecutive starts to Ugarte during his interim spell.
It feels like those four games have allowed the 23-year-old to find his place in a new country.
Stats from Sofascore.com and Transfermarkt.com.
