Manchester United have gone top of the Premier League for the time being after Bastian Schweinsteiger’s 90th-minute goal gave them a dramatic victory over Watford.
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Deeney had equalized from the spot in the 86th minute after United substitute Marcos Rojo fouled Odion Ighalo, for the first goal United had conceded in 632 minutes in all competitions.
Quique Sanchez Flores’ side, however, were nearly gifted a goal when Ashley Young, starting at right back, was caught in possession by Deeney and the striker quickly surged forward.
United manager Louis van Gaal, who said on Friday that his compatriot Depay needed to do more to convince him after a disappointing start to his United career, was delighted with the 21-year-old Dutchman’s response and his first goal for nearly two months.
Here, Bleacher Report picks out the winners and losers after an eventful finish.
Memphis Depay, who had been left out for the previous two matches, scored with a brilliant volley from Ander Herrera’s cross early in the game and it looked like that strike would prove decisive.
Two Frenchmen, United’s Morgan Schneiderlin and Watford’s Etienne Capoue, played in the match.
“Then I don’t look for another solution, but I did look for another solution in my team and I have kept Jesse Lingard for that option”.
It was a spectacular end to a game in which United dominated for long stretches despite being without Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, and losing Ander Herrera to injury in the first half.
Manchester United pressed well in the opening minute and almost created a goal with a unsafe Mata cross going untouched across the Watford box.
Vicarage Road was the first Premier League ground of the weekend to play La Marseillaise before kick-off, in tribute to victims of the Paris terrorist attacks eight days ago. In football you always have to believe. “We’re happy with the three points”.
He said: “We are still fighting”.
“I think also this role is the best role for him; he played it also in the world championship for me when Robin van Persie or Arjen Robben was injured, so I knew that he could do this”.
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“We do a lot of defensive organisation at the Aon Training Complex, and also our counter-attacking and how we attack as well. Against Manchester City we were really competitive for 45 minutes, against Arsenal we were for one hour, so our target for this match is to be competitive for one-and-a-half hours”.
