The defender has been Man United’s surprise package since the World Cup break and put in a solid showing against Manchester City on Saturday.
Wan-Bissaka sold three Man City players in one passage (Image: BT Sport)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s comeback may not have been as quick as Manchester United’s in their 2-1 win over Manchester City, but it’s still poignant.
The defender looked destined for the exit door this year but his displays after the mid-season break have now cast doubt over that. It’s a testament to his strong mindset after playing just four senior minutes before the World Cup.
Wan-Bissaka had suffered injury and illness in the first half of the campaign which set back his chances of gaining any momentum before Diogo Dalot nailed down the right-back slot – but he must have been alarmed when Erik ten Hag decided to put Tyrell Malacia in his position instead when Dalot was suspended against Fulham.
The World Cup break came as a reset for the 25-year-old, who played in both of United’s friendlies in Spain during the pause. He was, finally, able to gain momentum again and he marked his first competitive start under his new boss with an assist in the 4-2 League Cup win over Aston Villa.
Speaking after the match, Marcus Rashford laid out his thoughts about his teammate’s forward and backwards play. He said: “We all know about his defensive qualities and, for me, he just needs confidence to be pushed to go forward because, when he goes forward, he can create goalscoring opportunities for us.”
Fans were fearing the worst when the attack-minded Dalot was forced off in Portugal’s quarter-final loss to Morocco in Qatar, but Wan-Bissaka has quelled those worries. His best performance under Ten Hag to date came against City, in which he showed what he can do in the final third.
Last month, his manager insisted the full-back “has a future” at United and just after the new year, he reaffirmed his confidence in him again.
“He is doing really well, Aaron, in the last few games. Defending really consistently,” he said after United’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth. “He is also reliable in offence. He has a part in it, he contributes well.”
Wan-Bissaka proved Ten Hag right during the second-half of the derby win. After gliding past Joao Cancelo, the ball broke back to him after Casemiro managed to keep the ball away from Kevin De Bruyne.
Rodri was sent sprawling on the turf (Image: BT Sport)
The defender nutmegged Bernardo Silva before off-balancing Rodri and nabbing the ball away from the outstretched toe of Joao Cancelo to send Old Trafford into a raucous cheer. Not long later he mustered a shot at goal which showed his confidence is back.
Wan-Bissaka still has a way to go before convincing Ten Hag he is ahead of Dalot in the pecking order, and a move away will likely continue to be rumoured until otherwise. But the good news is that his boss has shown that he indeed rewards good form.
So, at last, the defender is back on the right track.
source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/
