Going into Sunday’s massive rivalry matchup between Manchester United and Liverpool, both fans and experts where busy trying to figure out who could be the potential match winners on the night.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino had been as excellent as always for Liverpool in recent weeks, while the raw pace on the counter meant some had high expectations for the United pairing of Marcus Rashford and Daniel James.
However, it would be a less heralded name who stole the show at Old Trafford, as Andreas Pereira played a big part in securing a result for the Red Devils. After a poor start to the season, it was a huge performance from the Brazilian, who showcased just how good he can be at times.
A rocky start
United fans started having hope in Andreas when he spent two years on loan in Spain early on in his career. It started with a season with Granada CF, where Andreas quickly adapted to life in La Liga. Granada might have been relegated that year, but the Brazilian was a rare bright spot for the team, scoring three goals in a four-game span during the winter.
His strong showings led to him moving up in the Spanish league ladder, as he then spent a season with Valencia. Gaining even more experience at the highest level, Andreas found similar levels of success even though he was mostly being played out of position.
Expectations were high when he made his eventually return to Old Trafford, but things haven’t quite clicked ever since. Andreas started the opening two games of the following campaign, but soon found opportunities on the field hard to come by.
Either not in the squad or forced to settle for cameos off the bench, the Brazilian failed to make much of an impact. He did score the club’s goal of the season versus Southampton, and started in United’s historic Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, but that was it really.
He’s had many more chances in the team this season due to the club failing to bolster the midfield this past summer, featuring in every game except the 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace. Andreas helped the Red Devils smash Chelsea in the opening match of the campaign, but he didn’t do much afterwards. He has failed to find the back of the net, and he’s only registered one assist on the year as well.
Making the most of the occasion
Fans were calling for him to be dropped to the bench, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stuck with Andreas versus Liverpool. It was a risky decision that ultimately paid off.
Playing in behind the front two of James and Rashford, Andreas had a difficult task, having to kick start United attacks while also tracking back to support the defense. He managed to pull it off quite well, connecting the midfield together time and time again. The Brazilian brought energy to the team, and was a lot scrappier than usual. That’s just what derbies of this magnitude do to players.
A big reason for his improved showing on Sunday was the fact that he was finally allowed to play in his preferred position. Andreas has often been thrown out on the wing in the past, which just doesn’t work. His lack of speed quickly becomes an issue, and he can’t dribble past defenders in 1v1 situations either.
To get the most out of the Brazilian, you have to play him up the middle in a more advanced position. He excels at finding space between the lines, which is what dragged Liverpool defenders away from goal on several occasions. Andreas is tidy when he does get on the ball, able to scan the field before playing a pass to keep things moving.
He was far from perfect on Sunday, of course. His decision making was poor at times, shooting when he should have passed and vice versa. Andreas also gave the ball a few times in the midfield, which is especially dangerous against a team that can attack as fast as Liverpool.
All that considered, the pressure will be on Andreas to build upon this performance. Considering the state of this United midfield, the team will need him to keep up this good form if they want any chance of climbing back up the Premier League table. Everyone knows he's got the ability. Now, it’s time for Andreas to prove he’s got the consistency to match.