100% duels won, 100% long balls, 100% dribbles: near-flawless United star deserved so much more than pitiful draw vs. Sunderland

Noussair Mazraoui produced a solid performance to help an underwhelming Manchester United to a lucky point against Sunderland. United held Senne Lammens made two brilliant saves in either half, first to deny Noah Sadiki and then Brian Brobbey, as United and Sunderland played out a goalless draw. Sunderland began the brighter of the two sides, imposing their physicality and testing United’s defence. An early chance fell their way when Sadiki was played through, but Lammens got down smartly to keep the effort out. The Black Cats kept up the pressure as United struggled to maintain spells of possession. Luckily for the Red Devils, they had an answer for much of what was thrown of them, with Mazraoui playing a big part in that. Given the start at right-back, he put in a solid shift and helped keep Talbi quiet. The hosts’ next big chance fell to Brian Brobbey and Lammens was on hand yet again to keep the score at 0-0. United had luck on their side when substitute Lutsharel Geertruida rattled the post. At the other end, Michael Carrick’s side failed to muster a single shot on target until added time. Eventually, both teams had to settle for a share of the points. Many of United’s players never got going, but the same cannot be said of the defensive quartet, with Mazraoui standing out as particularly impressive. Mazraoui’s performance The Moroccan made an astonishing 10 defensive contributions. He delved into four tackles, winning three of them. He made one interception and five clearances. Mazraoui also contributed a further five recoveries. The 28-year-old delved into five ground duels, winning all of them. He also came out on top in both aerial challenges that he vied for. Mazraoui touched the ball 56 times and completed the one dribble he embarked on. He delivered three key passes and found his teammates with 33 of the 38 passes he attempted. DefensiveValueGeneralValuePassingValue Def. contributions10Touches56Assists0 Tackles (won)4 (3)Unsuccessful touches1Expected assists (xA)0.02 Interceptions1Dribbles (successful)1 (1)Key passes3 Clearances5Crosses (accurate)0 (0) Recoveries5Passes in opp. half (acc.)16/19 (84%) Ground duels (won)5 (5)Passes in own half (acc.)17/19 (89%) Aerial duels (won)2 (2)Long balls (accurate)1/1 (100%) (Stats obtained from Sofascore) He also successfully connected with the one long ball he pinged. Featured image Stu Forster via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!