Premier League
Ranking every African player to play for Man Utd from best to worst
In Manchester United’s rich history, player from all over the world have plied their trade for the club. However, not a huge number have been from Africa. As of writing, 11 African players have played for United and it’s fair to say that some of these did better than others. The Reds currently have four African players in their first team who will all be looking to impress this year.
Let’s take a look at the 11 names – and a warning to United fans, you may not have many fond memories of this lot…
11. Wilfried Zaha (Cote d’Ivoire)
Zaha was by no means worse at United than the players ahead of him on this list. However, given the hefty £10million-plus paid for him, there’s really no choice but to stick him rock bottom.
He became Alex Ferguson’s last signing for the club when he was snapped up in January 2013 and loaned back to Crystal Palace for the remainder of the season. By the time he returned to Old Trafford, David Moyes was in charge and didn’t take a fancy to Zaha, loaning him out first to Cardiff and then to Palace again.
Following this loan spell, the London re-signed him permanently for around £3million and the winger left Old Trafford having appeared just four times. In case you didn’t know, he’s doing alright these days.
10. Manucho (Angola)
Zaha’s four appearances are one more than what Manucho managed. He may have been really good (probably not), but he had the misfortune of joining at a time when Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov were on the club’s books.
After loan spells at Panathinaikos and Hull City, the Angolan left for Real Valladolid in 2009 for £2.5million. Given they only paid £900k for him, United did at least make a tidy profit. It’s not all bad.
9. Mame Biram Diouf (Senegal)
A name undoubtedly more familiar to Stoke fans than those of United. Diouf joined from Molde in January 2010 for just over £4million and made the dream start to life in Manchester, scoring on his home debut against Burnley. After five further appearances, he was loaned out to Blackburn the following season, where he scored six goals.
At the end of it, he returned to Old Trafford and tore it up for their reserve side but never got close to the first team. He remained there until January 2012, when he joined Hannover for £1.5million. These days, he’s playing in his sixth season for Stoke, where he’s made a whopping 155 appearances.
8. Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)
The Tunisian international is still in his early days at Old Trafford, but the early signs are very promising. Following a successful loan spell with Birmingham last season, Erik ten Hag has integrated the youngster into the first team.
A real tenacious midfielder who won’t stop running, we wouldn’t be surprised if he manages to leap a few places ahead on this list come the end of the season.
7. Amad Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire)
Following an eye-catching loan spell with Sunderland in the Championship, United fans will be eager to see more of Diallo in the first team.
United have had to be patient with the Ivory Coast winger following his £35million move from Atalanta in 2021, but the 21-year-old has come on leaps and bounds over the past 12 months.
The winger had been utilised by Ten Hag in pre-season and had been tipped to play a role in the new campaign before he picked up a knee injury. Diallo is currently in recovery and we’re sure he’ll come back stronger than ever.
6. Eric Djemba-Djemba (Cameroon)
If his ability was as good as his name, Djemba-Djemba would’ve become a true great. Sadly, it wasn’t. The Cameroonian was brought United in 2003 to fill the (probably) blood-stained boots of Roy Keane. He began his task well, making a tackle on Sol Campbell in the Community Shield that Arsene Wenger called obscene. Very Keane-esque.
He was unable to maintain this level of shithousery, however, failing to ever establish himself in the first team. Still, two goals and three assists in 39 games is undoubtedly a better record than some in this list. Oh, and one was an absolute beauty, against Leeds too, which always helps.
5. Odion Ighalo (Nigeria)
The fact that Ighalo is number five here says more about those below him than his own success at the club.
Nevertheless, despite the ridicule that surrounded his arrival, the Nigerian did a steady job while on loan at Old Trafford. While he failed to hit the back of the net in the Premier League, he did score five goals across various cup competitions.
Ighalo was only ever signed as a stop-gap option for United and considering the circumstances, a strike rate of a goal every 4.6 matches is by no means disastrous.
4. Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco)
The Reds chased Amrabat’s signature throughout the entirety of the 2023 summer transfer window and they eventually managed to land a loan deal for the 27-year-old with the option to buy.
Of course, it’s still incredibly early days for the Moroccan midfielder, but the early signs are promising. Based on his first couple of performances at United, you can already tell Amrabat is loving life at Old Trafford.
“I told the manager I will play where [he] needs me and where the team needs me, even if it is a goalkeeper!” Amrabat told Sky Sports after his debut.
“I play where I can help the team, today it was left-back. I had a bit of a free role, I think you saw I played a bit in midfield, so it was nice, it was good.”
3. Andre Onana (Cameroon)
We might be jumping the gun here with Onana so high on the list, but he’s not exactly against the toughest competition. While the goalkeeper has had some nervy moments, his excellent distribution skills have given Ten Hag’s side a fresh dynamic.
The Cameroon international is able to ping long balls with pinpoint accuracy and we’re certain that he will prove to be a good signing in the end. He may even take the top spot on this list one day.
2. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire)
Two words sum up Bailly’s time at Old Trafford: Injury-plagued. In his six years at the club, he missed over 60 games due to various issues with his knees and ankles.
When he was fit, however, he was a relatively reliable best defender, as shown by his first season, where was named Player of the Month in August and included in the Europa League Squad of the Season.
His time at the club ultimately fizzled out as he fell down the pecking order under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and was then eventually sold by Ten Hag. Still, United fans will have plenty of fond memories of Bailly at Old Trafford.
1. Quinton Fortune (South Africa)
Mr Versatile. Fortune had the misfortune of joining United shortly after they won the treble, meaning there was little room in the first team for him. Nevertheless, he proved to be useful to the club, providing cover all over the pitch.
He spent seven years there, making 126 appearances and playing in three title-winning campaigns. Due to injuries and his role as back-up, he didn’t play enough games to get a winner’s medal in two of them but did get his hands on one in 2002-03.
After leaving for Bolton in 2006, Fortune briefly returned to Man Utd in 2013 in a coaching capacity. These days he works as an assistant coach for Mexican club C.D. Guadalajara.
-Planet Football
Manchester United cruised to a rare comfortable home Premier League victory as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around the ground with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate, with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a sumptuous second before Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league victory of the season.
The result put United in provisional eighth place with 10 points from seven games, two places below Sunderland on 11.
Wins, especially comfortable ones, have been in short supply for Portuguese Amorim since he took charge in November.
United supporters have slowly started to turn on the new manager as a result, with nothing short of victory over promoted Sunderland, despite the visitors’ impressive start to the season, enough to appease the disgruntled masses.
Mount’s superb control and finish was just what the beleaguered boss needed. The fine strike was the earliest United have scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s goal at Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge.
It was only a matter of time until the hosts scored again, such was their dominance. From a long throw, Sesko was alert to the flick-on before steering home his second in as many games.
United thought they had shot themselves in the foot as Sesko was penalised for a high boot in his own penalty area, only for VAR to deem it not to be a foul.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still should have added to their tally, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro blazing their best chance over the bar.
Sunderland did manufacture a late gilt-edged chance but Senne Lammens, making his debut in the United goal, stood tall to block, completing an assured performance from the keeper and his new teammates.
-Reuters
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Premier League champions Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the eighth minute of added time as Manchester United and Chelsea suffered 3-1 defeats on Saturday.
United slumped at Brentford and 10-man Chelsea were beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored twice in stoppage time.
Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-1 thanks to two own goals and a late brace from Erling Haaland while Leeds United were held to a 2-2 draw after Bournemouth equalised in added time through 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi.
There was also a late twist at Tottenham Hotspur when Joao Palhinha struck an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LIVERPOOL SUFFER FIRST LOSS
Liverpool were on the back foot early on when Palace took the lead in the ninth minute through a set-piece when the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr who smashed it home.
Liverpool would have conceded more if not for goalkeeper Alisson while Jean-Philippe Mateta nearly made it 2-0 when he hit the post.
Although Liverpool equalised through Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah provided late drama when he scored the winner in the 97th minute, with Selhurst Park celebrating the goal twice after VAR confirmed he was not offside.
“The boys are in really good form and think we can win every game and today we showed that,” Nketiah told the BBC.
Palace ended the day in second place, three points behind leaders Liverpool although Arsenal can go second if they beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
OWN GOALS, HAALAND GIVE MAN CITY WIN
Burnley’s Maxime Esteve became only the sixth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game as City climbed up to fourth.
Esteve scored the first when he tried to deny Phil Foden but Jaidon Anthony made it 1-1 with a shot that deflected off Ruben Dias.
Matheus Nunes restored City’s lead with a close-range effort before Esteve’s second own goal came when he looked to stop Oscar Bobb from finding the net.
Haaland struck twice in the dying minutes to hand Burnley their biggest loss of the season.
MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE AT BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo received a warm welcome from the Brentford fans as he returned to his former club for the first time since his move to Manchester United but the reception paled in comparison to the roars when the home side went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Igor Thiago capitalised on United’s high line for the opener when Jordan Henderson sent him through on goal in the eighth minute, before the Brazilian forward grabbed his second when United keeper Altay Bayindir spilled a save right into his path.
United pulled one back when Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club but Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mathias Jensen put the game out of reach in added time with a rocket from outside the box.
“We didn’t control the game, we played the game of Brentford. We were really confused (on) second balls, first balls, set pieces,” United manager Ruben Amorim said.
“The crucial moments, they were against us. Tough to lose again.”
CHELSEA SEE RED AGAIN
Chelsea had a player sent off for a second time in as many league games when Trevoh Chalobah saw red for denying Brighton a goal-scoring opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead with a close-range header but Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute reduced the home side to 10 men and Brighton made it count when Danny Welbeck opened his account for the season with the equaliser.
Brighton capitalised again in the 92nd minute when Maxim De Cuyper powered home a header and the visitors sealed all three points when Welbeck scored in the 10th minute of added time.
Bournemouth took the lead at Leeds when Antoine Semenyo scored from a free kick but the home side made it 2-1 when Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff netted either side of halftime.
With Leeds close to taking three points, Kroupi volleyed home from inside the box in the 93rd minute to lift Bournemouth into a group of three clubs on 11 points.
Sunderland moved to 11 points and fourth place by beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground to leave Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou winless after five games in charge.
Omar Alderete’s first-half goal was the difference between the two sides with Sunderland mounting a staunch rearguard action as Forest laid siege to their goal.
Wolves were seconds away from earning their first win of the season after losing their opening five games in their worst ever start to a league campaign.
They led through Santiago Bueno’s scrappy goal early in the second half but Palhinha guided in a superb finish to send Tottenham to third place on goal difference.
-Reuters
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his side must match the level of urgency they showed against Chelsea on Saturday if they are to keep on winning.
Having tasted victory just once this season going into the game, on the back of their lowest top-flight league finish last term since they were relegated in 1973-74, the pressure was on Amorim ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Premier League.
The early dismissal of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gave United the platform to earn a vital win with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro but the performance, from the off, reached levels of intensity that had been lacking in recent struggles.
“Sometimes we have some moments that we feel an urgency to have a result,” Amorim said. “Today we won, it’s nice to win, but let’s not forget that return to that urgency in our game.
“We need to win the next game. That is the most important thing. In this big club it’s not a feeling that today is a really good game, let’s relax a little bit. Let’s keep that urgency. That is the most important feeling we have to take for the next week.”
In true United fashion, the hosts still made things difficult for themselves from a seemingly unassailable position, 2-0 in front with a numerical advantage in the driving Manchester rain.
Casemiro’s sending-off late in the first half gave the visitors a lifeline, with Trevoh Chalobah’s header ensuring a nervy finish at an expectant Old Trafford.
“We showed that when everything is going well, we arrange something to make it difficult,” Amorim said. “But we suffered together in the end. That was a good thing, if you look at the game we deserved to win.
“We were trying to do things a little bit too much, making a tackle that maybe we shouldn’t. It’s hard to say, because that is the pressure. I feel more pressure in some young guys sometimes.
“Maybe it’s because Casemiro cares. We score one and he has that tackle. Sometimes it’s not the pressure, they wanted too much in that moment.”
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