Seldom will there have been such skepticism about a player in the starting lineup of Manchester United. The 35-year-old Jonny Evans, returning after quite a few years in relative obscurity. But his return to the starting lineup against Burnley was one that made you take notice. The English media noticed it too.
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Evans received a solid 9 as a grade from Sky Sports and was chosen as the Man of the Match. 'He rose to the occasion in a moment of magic. It was his first assist for Man Utd since February 2013 when he set up Wayne Rooney to score,' the English medium delved into history.
At the BBC, they didn't focus on Evans' pass that led to the only goal. 'It was a much-needed victory,' concluded the public broadcaster. 'Man Utd was desperately seeking inspiration after three consecutive losses, and they received it from Bruno Fernandes, who struck brilliantly.'
Criticism of Man Utd was indeed present. 'It was the home team that played captivating football. What Man Utd showed was far from convincing. But Man Utd knows what winning feels like again and can work on regaining confidence after a challenging start to the season.'
So, Evans received a high grade from Sky Sports, but Manchester Evening News was slightly less generous with high scores. The regional newspaper awarded seven marks on eight occasions. The final 7 was given to manager Erik ten Hag, who received praise for assembling a surprising starting eleven, with Evans' footballing class bearing fruit.
Leave it to The Sun to shower praise in an extreme manner. 'When Ten Hag asked Evans to turn back the years and appear at the start of the Burnley match like an eager young pup, he probably didn't expect to see a Belfast Pirlo,' the tabloid refers to the eye-catching pass to Fernandes. 'But it was indeed the fifth-choice central defender who rose to the occasion when Man Utd needed it most.'
The Sun saw similarities with an iconic goal that Van Persie scored during his time at Man Utd. 'Squint your eyes, and you're looking at a scene from Evans' early days at Man Utd. Wayne Rooney finding Robin van Persie, and the Dutchman scoring with a spectacular volley. That was in the championship-winning year of 2013, and there's little indication that the wait for a new title will end soon. But this victory at least puts an end to the decay that was threatening to set in at Old Trafford.'
