Wout Weghorst shows he is more than a 'dinosaur' for Man Utd as Erik ten Hag thinks outside the box | 1 News Day, breaking news, sport, business, politics, Science & Health

A transitional period. An acid test. The Barcelona barometer. It was billed in Catalonia as the ‘battle of the champions’ – and this time, the night delivered on the hype.

At the Camp Nou on Thursday, Manchester United continued to demonstrate an ability to move the game on to their own terms under Erik ten Hag. This was a play-off thriller in name, but more a flexing of two of Europe’s historic superpowers sending a warning of their return among the elite.

Ten Hag and Xavi, both diligent disciples of Johan Cruyff, cancelled each other out during an engrossing chess match that is only at the midway point.

Manchester United
Leicester City

Sunday 19th February 1:00pm Kick off 2:00pm

Full-backs at centre-back, centre-backs at full-back and a striker playing as a No 10. It was football of the future between two of the game’s most storied clubs playing by their own rules.

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This was an encounter fit for the Champions League, not the Europa League – and the latter stages at that.

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Barcelona, like their illustrious counterparts, are rebuilding but Ten Hag has injected a fearlessness in his players that was typified by a man transformed at the top end of the pitch.

Image: The Dutchman challenges Robert Lewandowski

Image: Weghorst provides much more than just goals

Standing at 1.97 metres, the common misconception is that Wout Weghorst lacks mobility, but the Dutchman ran himself into the ground.

In the absence of Christian Eriksen, it was often Weghorst doing the role of two men, sliding across the ground to challenge Frenkie de Jong, United’s long-term transfer target. Sometimes, football can be so poetic.

At Arsenal, Leeds and now at Barcelona, Ten Hag has kept him on for the full 90 minutes. Eighteen shots apiece, and perhaps Weghorst had the easiest chance of them all, but his contribution to stopping Barcelona attacks meant he could hold his head high despite United returning home disappointed not to win.

Weghorst started his ninth match running, a sequence in which he has scored just once, but it was never about the goals.

Signed by Burnley from Wolfsburg for £12m just over a year ago, he was then tasked with scoring the goals to keep them in the top flight. But a tally of two in 20 appearances led to him being loaned out to Besiktas last summer.

His return of eight goals in 16 league games in Turkey earned him a place at the World Cup with the Netherlands, but Ten Hag had already identified how the wider attributes of the maligned striker would benefit his team as a collective.

Image: Weghorst has created more chances than shots taken

Even during his perceived difficult spell at Burnley, Weghorst managed 48.7 presses per 90 minutes – more than any other player in the entire division. Defending from the front is precisely what he brings.

Marcel Bout, the head of global scouting at the club, crunched these numbers and a short-term deal was agreed – but the way United have been performing with Weghorst in the side indicates they may look to extend his stay beyond the summer.

United are covering the striker’s wages but have no option or obligation to buy a player who is already showing he can suit Ten Hag’s pressing style.

Against Barcelona, Weghorst would often be found in midfield alongside Fred and Casemiro, even defending his own box as he was stationed suitably in the final minute of stoppage time. It has been a common theme of his nascent United career.

In the 2-0 victory at Leeds, it was Weghorst who dropped deep – Kane-like – to feed Alejandro Garnacho as he scampered away to seal the win. Within games, Weghorst has been alternating between being a conventional target man, seen when goalkeeper David de Gea has opted to play long towards his aerial strength.

But the chance missed in the first half was more akin to one presented to a No 10 running onto the ball from deep as Marcus Rashford drew Marcos Alonso out to create the space in behind.

His attempt to beat Marc ter Stegen lacked the finesse of a prolific striker, but it highlighted the attacking fluidity Ten Hag is wanting at all times.

“It’s more tactical but also to get some other players in good positions in the whole front three; Bruno [Fernandes], Rashy [Rashford] and Jadon [Sancho],” the United boss explained. “But also to get a good press on and I think the plan worked well.

“Other players can score: Bruno, Jadon, they can score. Wout of course can score as well and they will score. But in the end, it doesn’t matter who scores but in such a game, when you create five or seven 100 per cent chances you have to finish that more, it’s quite clear.”

A lot has been made of a liberated Rashford only now fully reaching his potential following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Englishman’s form has been in stark contrast to what it was prior to the World Cup.

He has 14 goals in his last 16 games and has already equalled his season-best tally of 22 from 2019/20. The lingering concern is what will happen to United’s season if the forward sustains an injury; their next highest scorer is Fernandes on seven.

But while the exploits of Rashford have rightfully drawn much attention, Weghorst’s role in allowing him to shine has proven every bit as important as the sale of the man he replaced.

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Wout Weghorst says it’s a great feeling to join Manchester United and says he’s excited to get started at Old Trafford.

Provided Rashford remains fit, there is plenty of logic in Ten Hag using his conventional No 9 more as a No 10, dropping deep to link up the play and allowing his red arrows the space to dart in behind.

Asked about his decision to play Weghorst at 10 at the Camp Nou – and whether his plan worked – Ten Hag told BT Sport: “I think so. But it’s not only about Wout, although he did well in that position and I know he can be [a number 10].

“But it gives us a lot of variation but also I want to bring Jadon [Sancho] and Bruno [Fernandes] coming into half spaces, getting them on the ball and make runs from deep.

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Wout Weghorst recalls the moment he learnt that Manchester United wanted to sign him and promises to ‘give my all’ for the club.

“With the full-backs joining in, I think we had a lot of variation and we had a lot of opportunities and we should have won this game.”

It was initially felt that Weghorst would act as an impact sub, in the same way he was effectively used during the Netherlands’ stunning comeback against Argentina before losing on penalties in Qatar.

Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan told Sky Sports last month: “He’s had a bit of an unusual career but what he always brings is a massive amount of professionalism.

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“What all of his coaches have said, what all of his colleagues have said and a real amount of physique. He’s one of the strongest, he’s one of the biggest. I think in England they called him ‘the dinosaur’ when he turned up at Burnley.

“Is he prehistoric? No, he’s man who can add something when they really need him in the last 20 or 25 minutes, when they need a different style of play and Ten Hag has been short of real physique. That’s why he wanted his man, who also did not cost too much.”

As referee Maurizio Mariani blew for full-time, in the very penalty area that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won it for United in 1999, Weghorst stood catching his breath.

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Wout Weghorst is first to the rebound to score his first goal for Manchester United and put his side 2-0 up against Nottingham Forest.

A rueful smile at Ter Stegen, no doubt reflecting on his one missed chance, but the player has already shown he is far more than a super sub.

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Sunday’s visit of Leicester at Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports, sees the meeting of two of the Premier League’s most in-form teams.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been clinical in scoring 10 goals in their last three games, while United’s own resurgence dates further back to the third weekend of the season.

Since losing their first two games, Ten Hag has watched his side collect 46 points in 21 Premier League matches – more than any other team in this period.

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Wout Weghorst talks through his first Manchester United goal and says they have a great chance of reaching the Carabao Cup final after winning the first leg of their semi-final against Nottingham Forest, 3-0.

Defending set-pieces has remained an area of weakness for Leicester this term, meaning Weghorst’s more typical accolades could bear fruit for United.

“I am very pleased with him, he is doing extremely well,” added Ten Hag. “He plays his role very well. We’ve scored more as a team since he arrived. He knows his role very well and he fills it in very well.”

Weghorst looks reinvigorated and is responding to Ten Hag’s instructions. His profligate finishing hasn’t fazed the player nor his manager. Despite being very deep, his role to hold is very clear, only carrying the ball upfield 1.5m per game on average.

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Ultimately, competing in the Europa League and sealing a Champions League place with Weghorst in the side is not where United want to be, but for the now, this unlikely marriage is delivering during the rebuild.

“I don’t think they are in the mix for the title,” Gary Neville has insisted. “I think they’re short compared to other teams. They are a little bit short upfront. You think about Weghorst coming in, he was a stop gap.

“The others seem to have more firepower, but United, from where they were at the start of the season, are in a really good position.”

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The Transfer Show’s Kaveh Solhekol says there is a possibility of Wout Weghorst’s loan move to Manchester United becoming permanent in the summer.

Ten Hag may have to continue to take risks with his team selection in order for United to retain their intensity levels both domestically and in Europe, but with the side currently five points off the Premier League summit, their title credentials will be further enhanced with another victory on Sunday.

“For me, it was not done, it was not finished,” Weghorst said at his United unveiling when reflecting on his inauspicious first six months in the Premier League. “It didn’t work out the first time as I hoped and I’m really hungry to show myself, to help the team.”

With Anthony Martial’s persistent injury struggles likely to keep him out again this weekend, Wout Weghorst’s resurgence in England is set to run and run.

Watch Manchester United vs Leicester live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Super Sunday; kick-off 2pm.