Why the future’s bright for Manchester United's on-loan midfielder Nick Powell

Nick Powell

“It’s like having Wayne Rooney or Eric Cantona in the team”, claimed Crewe Alexandra’s legendary former manager Dario Gradi after Nick Powell left for Manchester United in 2012. Now thriving on-loan with Wigan Athletic, the midfielder must set his sights on breaking into David Moyes’ team next season.

Gradi’s comments came in an interview with TalkSPORT in which he stated that, like Rooney and Cantona—both players celebrated for their match-winning abilities as individuals and team players—Powell, “can do it on his own or he can combine with the team. He’s got everything.”

A complete midfielder able to help his side keep ticking over and creating chances while also pushing forward to make his own individual contributions to the game is exactly what United are missing at present. Though the likes of Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa have been praised as the natural successors to Paul Scholes at Old Trafford, they are only replacements in the sense of the midfielder’s creativity and skill. When it comes to replicating the box-to-box movement and goals that the Ginger Prince used to provide in a red shirt, the squad has been found wanting.

Tom Cleverley, having recently come out to protest that it isn’t his job to score goals, make tackles or be the creative midfield fulcrum of his team, was once thought to be the playmaker-in-waiting to one day rise up to fulfil the role once played by Scholes, bursting up through the middle of the park. It could be that next season, Powell steals that billing from the England international.

The Crewe academy graduate has shown no such reluctance to grab hold of the goal-scoring responsibility within a match, having fired home the goal to secure victory in the League Two promotion play-off final in 2012 and continued to find the net for Wigan.

His tally currently stands at five goals in 20 league games, and a more impressive three goals in six Europa League games. He’s also not been averse to getting involved in the midfield melee of the Championship either, with an average of two defensive actions per game, most of which have been interceptions.

Powell Defensive Actions – Championship 2013/14

Compare that to Cleverley who has only one league goal in 19 games and none from three appearances in the Champions League. Both players are tied on two assists in the Premier League and Championship respectively.

Powell still has work to do of course to eclipse his more senior squad mate. Cleverley has the higher averages in terms of passing accuracy and duels won. His average shot accuracy rate is also far higher, though it must be taken into account that Powell has often been deployed in a far more forward-lying role than his midfield colleague at times this season, necessitating a greater need to take opportunities in front of goal on.

Still, if Moyes wants a more direct goal threat from the middle of the park it looks as though Powell is the better option of the two, especially given his greater determination and sense of personality to lead his teammates forward and initiate attacking moves.

Loan moves have been instrumental in blooding some of United’s greatest servants over the past few years, with Beckham’s successful stay at Preston North End—then managed by none other than Moyes during his pre-Everton days— having helped the treble-winning wide midfielder to later come into his own on his return to Old Trafford.

Seeking potential parallels between the former England captain’s temporary move and Powell’s own loan to Wigan is tempting, even if the landscape of English football has changed a lot since the early 90?s. Yet, if Powell can build up some momentum with which to storm back into United’s Carrington training ground, with securing a regular role in the team top of his agenda, then it’s not out of the question that he could force his way into Moyes’ plans.

Leadership, tenacity and a willingness on the part of individuals to make a difference have often been missing during United’s bleakest moments this season. The celebration that followed the emergence of Adnan Januzaj wasn’t down to his talent alone but also his willingness to affect change and break through the staleness that pervaded the team’s attacking play. Should Powell approach next season with the right attitude, there’s no reason why he couldn’t have a similar effect as the young Kosovar-Albanian in renovating and inspiring a whole section of the team.

United’s midfield are certainly crying out for a player with the qualities his fans claim he holds.