This past season was not a good one for most of Manchester United players and that is the case with Ashley Young as well. The Englishman was team’s captain and had some poor days and some decent showings, but in general, in the eyes of internet fans and Twitter followers, he became the embodiment of everything that is bad at Man United – although that is probably not fair to Young.
A player that has always been measured in everything he does and says and a player that is constantly giving his all for Man United has been held as a reason for laughter, simply because he is not the player he used to be. Simply put, Young’s ability has decreased, he is these days playing in plenty of positions that are not natural to him, surrounded by players not ready to push themselves to the limits.
So, with all that in mind, it is fair to say his performances on the pitch are not what they used to be and he should probably not expect to play as much as he did this season, especially considering he turned 34 two days ago.
Appearances across all competitions
Young made 41 appearances in four different competitions last season. Thirty of them came in Premier League, where he was a starter in 28 out of 38 possible matches. With 2569 league minutes spent on the pitch, only four Man United players have had more game time – David De Gea, Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelöf and Luke Shaw. That tells a lot about his importance on the pitch, as both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found in him a leader that can be their right-hand during the game.
He also made seven appearances in Champions League, three in FA Cup and one in EFL Cup. Both of his goals this season came in the Premier League, first one against Fulham in early December and second one against Crystal Palace in late February.
Did he perform above or below the expectations?
It depends on what your expectations were of him, but in general, Young was below what was expected of him. As Man United captain, he was supposed to lead this time with great performances too, not just his attitude, but he is simply unable to do that these days. That may not be his fault either, it is just a reality. Not everything was bad with him, though, but it is obvious Young did not have the capacity to offer more in this mostly dysfunctional team.
Will he be a part of Manchester United during the 2019-20 season?
Yes, Ashley Young will be part of Manchester United during the 2019-20 season. He signed his latest contract extension in February, which means he will now be staying at the club until at least the end of this season. Whether he will be offered another one-year deal is a big question, but in 2019-20, he will be expected to be a big influence in the dressing room. On the pitch, however, probably less so.
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