Going up against Liverpool is no easy task, and Manchester United have learned this to their cost at times in the recent past. With their dangerous wide players, the last thing you want to do is face them with a depleted defence.
Heading into last weekend’s now famous 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Liverpool, there were some real worries at full-back, and a lot of crossing fingers that Aaron Wan-Bissaka would recover from injury in time to make the game, for a first appearance since January 14.
Wan-Bissaka answered Manchester United’s SOS call, even if not fully fit, he did everything necessary to make the game, and then delivered a classic shutdown performance to keep Mohamed Salah quiet.
What was most impressive about Wan-Bissaka’s display was that he did it from left-back, not his regular position.
Wan-Bissaka demonstrates versatility
Diogo Dalot has been outstanding for Manchester United this season, on the right and the left side.
You would have expected then, that Dalot would be the one to switch flanks against Liverpool. Instead, Erik ten Hag asked Wan-Bissaka to do the job.
This may have been to do with the mammoth task of trying to shut Salah down. But it was a big ask for a player lacking match sharpness if not match fitness, to attempt to do so out of position.
What followed is best described as ‘classic Wan-Bissaka’. Getting tight to his man, not letting him get past him, and the odd slide tackle mixed in, timed to perfection.
He played 71 minutes, with a 100 per cent tackle rate, blocking one shot and making three interceptions.
He won four out of six duels he contested and recovered seven loose balls. Wan-Bissaka even had a shot on target too.
Erik ten Hag discussed him after the game, labelling his performance as ‘brilliant’, well deserved praise.
Wan-Bissaka a very rare player
We have previously described Aaron Wan-Bissaka as a football ‘unicorn’, a player who has a skillset so rare that it is almost impossible to replicate.
Is there a particularly tricky opposing winger you need to keep quiet? Aaron Wan-Bissaka is the man for the job.
At the weekend, he added to his CV, showing he is just as capable if he switches to left-back, rather than his preferred right.
Wan-Bissaka is quite simply one of the best in the world at what he does. While Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain sidelined, we might see a bit more of him on the left, and there is no reason to worry at all about that.