Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri delivered an impressive performance in a brief appearance during the team’s 3-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.
Despite playing in a couple of pre-season friendlies for the Red Devils, Mejbri had not made any appearances for the club prior to the international break in September.
The African star finally had the opportunity to make an impression under manager Erik ten Hag. He entered the match shortly after the one-hour mark and scored a remarkable long-range goal.
The 20-year-old showcased his skills by completing all of his passes and dribbles while also excelling in duels. He won two fouls, made a tackle, and only lost possession once.
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Mejbri is highly regarded by the club’s fans, and his impactful cameo demonstrated his determination and spirit in facing Brighton.
As stated by the club’s official website, Ten Hag was full of praise for the Tunisian starlet as he said:
“He did what we brought him [on] for, having an impact and bringing energy. He did it.”
In the opinion of some observers, Mejbri should have been in the starting lineup ahead of Scott McTominay, who had a subpar performance in midfield.
McTominay’s performance was lacklustre, as he completed only 15 passes and won just two ground duels before being substituted in the closing minutes. His presence was hardly felt in the game for United.
The team’s impressive 31-match unbeaten streak at Old Trafford came to an unfortunate end, and there’s no time for the club to dwell on the result.
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United faces a formidable challenge against Bayern Munich in their first Champions League group stage match, which takes place away from home on Wednesday night.
If Mason Mount is unavailable, many would prefer to see Mejbri start in the midfield instead of McTominay, who failed to pose any offensive attacking threat in the recent game.
