Manchester United were outplayed by Atletico Madrid as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the Metropolitano stadium on Tuesday.
The home side took the lead within the first minute and could have scored several more if not for the post coming to United’s rescue.
Leny Yoro’s straight red card only exacerbated matters, with the hosts doubling their advantage soon afterwards.
Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes had chances to equalise, but the Red Devils were simply not good enough on the night, largely due to Michael Carrick’s bizarre tactical decisions.
Why was Bruno Fernandes asked to play out wide?
The decision to move Bruno Fernandes out to the right flank to accommodate Youri Tielemans in the hole behind the striker was puzzling, to say the least.
The Portuguese superstar is by far the club’s best player, and he is at his most dangerous playing closer to goal. Not to forget, he broke the Premier League’s assist record last season.
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Expected assists (xA) | 0.06 |
| Big chances created | 2 |
| Key passes | 3 |
| Crosses (accurate) | 1 (0) |
| Accurate passes | 24/30 (80%) |
| Passes in opposition half (acc.) | 16/20 (80%) |
| Passes in own half (acc.) | 8/10 (80%) |
| Long balls (accurate) | 2/2 (100%) |
| Total shots | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 |
| Shots blocked | 0 |
| Touches | 38 |
| Unsuccessful touches | 1 |
| Dribbles (successful) | 1 (0) |
| Possession lost | 9 |
| Total carrying distance | 62.6 m |
| Carries | 8 |
| Total progression | 3.9 m |
| Def. contributions | 1 |
| Tackles (won) | 1 (0) |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Clearances | 0 |
| Blocked shots | 0 |
| Recoveries | 2 |
| Ground duels (won) | 5 (1) |
| Fouls | 1 |
| Dribbled past | 2 |
match stats via sofascore
However, the Belgian, signed as a deep-lying playmaker in the summer, started as the No.10 in Madrid and, while his on-the-ball ability remains top notch, he simply lacks the work ethic needed to succeed at the moment.
The former Aston Villa ace produced three key passes while creating two big chances, both of which were spurned.
Youri Tielemans is still unfit
However, when playing away from home against a pressing machine like Atleti, the 20-time English league champions needed energy and stamina.
Unfortunately, the 29-year-old’s legs seem to have gone, with the Belgian international struggling to track back every time United lost possession.
The Belgium international lost 80% of his ground duels and managed to win zero tackles. He was also dribbled past twice (all stats via sofascore).
Given his ability on the ball, Youri Tielemans should only be used to unlock stubborn defences late on in games if needed, at least until his physical conditioning improves. He should definitely not be used as the main creative force in an away encounter.
Feature image Evan Treacy via Getty Images
