4 best performing Manchester United players during the Europa League group stage (2022-23)

Manchester United have booked their spot in round 16 playoffs of the UEFA Europa League 2022-23 campaign and are the runner-up in Group E.

The Red Devils registered five wins and one defeat out of six group stage games in the competition, netting 10 goals and conceding three goals.

Manchester United and Real Sociedad had 15 points each but the goal difference rule helped the La Liga side finish ahead of the Red Devils.

During the group stage, several Manchester United players performed well in helping the team secure qualification for the playoff round ahead of the round of 16.

As such, this article will look at the four Manchester United players who impressed the most during the group stage.

#4 David De Gea

The Spaniard was brilliant in goal for the Red Devils and his presence improved the overall performance of his defence during the group stage.

De Gea kept a total of four clean sheets in six appearances for his team during the group stage and is the goalkeeper with the joint highest number of clean sheets in the competition so far this season.

The 31-year-old has kept six clean sheets in his last seven games across all competitions for the Red Devils and his mastery in goal will be needed in the playoff round.

#3 Lisandro Martinez

The Argentine was arguably one of the best performing Red Devils players during the group stage and his robustness in defense improved the overall performance of the team.

Martinez had four clean sheets under his belt in six appearances during the group stage of the competition.

The 24-year-old is arguably the best performing defender in the Premier League right now and he remains a crucial player in defense for the Red Devils in the qualifier for the next round of the competition.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite his poor run of form in the Premier League this season, Ronaldo was one of the best performing Red Devils attackers during the group stage.

Ronaldo netted two goals and registered two assists in six Europa League appearances during the group stage. Furthermore, he's the second highest scoring Manchester United player in the competition this season.

The 37-year-old registered his 57th assist for the Red Devils in the 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in their final group game.

Ronaldo's attacking experience will be pivotal for the Red Devils in the knockout round and he remains a crucial player in attack for Erik Ten Hag.

It will be interesting to see if his experience in European competitions will improve Manchester United's chances of lifting the trophy.

#1 Marcus Rashford

The Englishman has arguably been the best performing Red Devils player in the Europa League this season and his intuition in attack has been outstanding.

Rashford netted three goals and registered one assist in four appearances during the group stage. Furthermore, he's joint third with the most goals in the competition this season.

The 25-year-old remains a key player for the Red Devils and his agility in attack is crucial for Ten Hag in the playoff round.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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