Aaron Wan-Bissaka was one unsung hero in Manchester United’s Carabao Cup final success.
The Red Devils lifted the trophy at Wembley on Sunday to mark an end to a six-year trophy drought and the first of the Erik ten Hag era.
Wan-Bissaka came on at half-time to replace Diogo Dalot, as the Portugal international was on a yellow card and was having a torrid time keeping Allan Saint-Maximin quiet.
Should he have stayed on, it’s likely Dalot would’ve received a second booking and the game could have gone in an entirely different direction.
The Englishman replaced his fellow right-back and put in an outstanding shift throughout the second half. Saint-Maximin went from being a constant threat in the first 45 minutes, to not even having a look-in at United’s goal in the second.
According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old made seven successful tackles – more than any other player on the pitch.
Wan-Bissaka’s future at Old Trafford
After falling out of favour under the manager prior to the World Cup, he has worked to earn his place in the starting line-up by displaying several outstanding performances. His one-on-one tackling is second to none.
There were ongoing reports in the previous two transfer windows that Ten Hag was open to selling Wan-Bissaka, but he’s likely having to reconsider that possibility now.