Manchester United 4-1 Istanbul Basaksehir | Player Ratings as the Red Devils move closer to the last 16 | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
The last time these Manchester United met Istanbul Basaksehir, it ended in a result that the European football history books will never forget.
The most famous club in the world left Turkey with a humiliating defeat to a team that was only formed seven years ago. Tonight, the Red Devils corrected the wrongs of the past with an emphatic 4-1 win.
Manchester United would open up proceedings in commanding fashion, as Bruno Fernandes rocketed a half-volley into the top corner in the seventh minute. 10 minutes later, Fernandes capitalisd on a mistake from the goalkeeper to tap in his second. To put the game to bed, Marcus Rashford added a third in 34th minute, through a spot-kick.
Basaksehir put up more of a fight in the second half and found themselves on the scoresheet through Deniz Turuc's free-kick in the 75th minute. However, it didn’t do much to affect the outcome of the game.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men added a fourth goal in injury time, with substitutes Mason Greenwood and Dan James linking up to add insult to injury.
Manchester United Player Ratings
David de Gea: 7/10
Although many thought this would be a game for Dean Henderson to shine, the manager decided to not take any risks and instead deploy his No. 1. Despite his team being in cruise control for most of the game, the Spaniard’s goal did come under threat a few times, in which he had to respond by making three saves.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 6.5/10
Tasked with more attacking than he had to do defending, Wan-Bissaka showed several improvements in his final third game. He’s often criticised for his attacking play, but tonight the 22-year-old was a useful asset in the build-up, as he offered width on the outside of Rashford.
Victor Lindelöf: 6/10
Up against a 36-year-old Demba Ba, Lindelof and his partner ensured there were no hiccups tonight. During his time on the pitch, Lindelof completed 86% of his passes and made one clearance in an untested cameo.
Harry Maguire: 7/10
Tonight, the Manchester United captain did his best to put a nightmare performance in Istanbul behind him. He responded dominantly by winning five duels, blocking two shots and making two clearances.
Alex Telles: 6.5/10
Gifted with only his third start in United colours, the Brazilian full-back showed Manchester United fans why Luke Shaw should now be a distant memory. His attacking runs were faultless, as were some of his deliveries into the box.
Donny van de Beek: 7/10
United fans have been clamouring for the Dutchman to start more games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Tonight, they got their wish, and the 23-year-old did not disappoint. Deployed in a midfield pivot with Fred, he created two chances, as well as making several runs into the box as the third man from deep.
Fred: 5.5/10
In a night of stellar performances, the Brazilian was notably one of Manchester United's worst performers. Not only was he sloppy on the ball, but he was also cowardly with his passing choices.
Marcus Rashford: 8/10
Second only to Bruno Fernandes, the winger was instrumental to everything United did. The Basaksehir defence could barely live with him, as he especially gave their left-back a tough time. Over the course of the game, the 23-year-old completed three dribbles, created one chance, won a penalty and scored it.
Bruno Fernandes: 9/10
Since arriving in England earlier this year, nobody has been able to stop Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has been a catalyst for change at Old Trafford, as he’s been directly involved in 34 goals in 35 appearances. Tonight, he added two more to his tally as he showcased his excellent striking technique and intelligent movement.
Anthony Martial: 5.5/10
With all his teammates flourishing, the Frenchman was strangely quiet and in truth, non-existent. He was a passenger in attack and was completely outshined by the others in the front line. The Frenchman didn’t even register a shot on goal throughout the 90 minutes.
Edinson Cavani: 6.5/10
Gifted his first start as a Manchester United player, the veteran striker put in an industrious performance to not much avail. He worked hard for the team by pressing the Istanbul’s defence and running into the channels. However, for all of United’s dominance, not many clear-cut chances were fashioned for him.
Substitutes
Axel Tuanzebe: 6.5/10
Brought on at half time for Lindelof, the youngster had more to do in the second half than his predecessor. Basaksehir came out of their shell and committed more men forward, which in turn forced Tuanzebe to make two clearances, two tackles and to win four duels.
Mason Greenwood: 6.5/10
As United continued to dominate, they began to rest players and bring on others who needed minutes. Mason Greenwood has been missing for a while and he came on with 25 minutes to go to stretch his legs.
His runs coming off the right flank caused Basaksehir several problems, and it was this movement that helped him provide the assist for Daniel James late on.
Daniel James: 6.5/10
After a few impressive performances for Wales, Daniel James was rewarded with a cameo appearance to prove his worth to Manchester United. He did just that by scoring his first goal of the season in the dying minutes of the game.
Brandon Williams: N/A
Brought on for a tiring Wan-Bissaka, Williams filled in at right-back for the remaining quarter of the game.
Nemanja Matic: N/A
The Serbian was brought on to sure up the Manchester United midfield in the final phase of the game.