NUFC player ratings vs AC Milan – One 9, two 8s, several 7s, the odd 6 and a few 5s

It wasn’t the glorious and free flowing return to the Champions League that we were all hoping for. However, it is difficult not to feel proud of the squad. It was clear that they weren’t quite at home given the occasion, but it was a great experience and they will have gained a lot from it. A point away from home considering the way the match played out can’t be sniffed at. Below we rate each player’s performance. 

Nick Pope – 9* – The goalkeeper has had a slow start to the season, but he was excellent on Tuesday and made EIGHT saves. There weren’t any world class stops, but Pope was assured in every action and played a key role.

Kieran Trippier – 8.5 – Experience was going to be key for us, especially in the away matches. Trippier was excellent. He needed to be more reserved in his positioning due to the threat down Milan’s left side, but he defended very well and helped the team to a point.

Fabian Schar – 7 – All of the defence played their part on Tuesday. Schar competed well, especially in the air and was unfortunate to pick up a booking. On the ball, his passing wasn’t as crisp as usual.

Sven Botman – 7.5 – The team are so much better when Sven Botman is in the side. The Dutchman always looked to step into midfield when we were short on numbers and he managed to sniff out a few dangerous attacks.

Dan Burn – 8 – This is a difficult one, as Dan Burn is a marmite figure in the fan base. On the ball, his limitations are clear to all and several misplaced passes didn’t help us on Tuesday night. However, at the back, he was a colossal and very few attacks originated down his side. His place in the team has an expiry date, but he’s perfect for a game like this when we had our backs to the wall.

Bruno Guimaraes – 7.5 – This stage is made for Bruno Guimaraes, as he belongs in the Champions League. He has made that clear in his public comments. The Brazilian was reliable with the ball, as he completed 92% of his passes. He helped us have periods of control, even if those periods weren’t as long as we would have liked.

Sean Longstaff – 7 – There was no denying that Longstaff worked exceptionally hard in the middle of the park. It was a tough occasion and he did step up. There were a few loose touches, but his energy did help the defensive effort. At the end, he came so close to stealing the points only to denied by a great save.

Sandro Tonali – 6 – It was good to see Sandro Tonali back in the team. Like Longstaff, he worked hard, but he is still adapting to the side and that showed. We didn’t see the best of the midfielder, but it was another step closer to him fully clicking with the team.

Jacob Murphy – 5 – Nobody expected that Jacob Murphy would start at the San Siro. His face was a picture during the Champions League anthem. It was a stark step up for him and he did struggle to impact the game.

Alexander Isak – 5.5 – It was an obvious decision to start Alexander Isak. He did well when he came deep to link the play, but he didn’t manage to influence the game in the final third. The service was lacking and it wasn’t his fault. When he moved to the wing, he looked incredibly tired and a few attacks broke down due to his loose passes.

Anthony Gordon – 5 – After a few early flashes of promise when he had the beating of Calabria, Gordon did fade. It could be a case of fatigue as he has started every game this season. It might be time to rest him this weekend.

SUBS:

Miguel Almiron – 5.5 – There were one or two key defensive contributions from Almiron, but he struggled to get into the game at the other end.

Callum Wilson – Like the rest of the attack, Wilson had very little service and struggled to get into the game. 5.5

Elliot Anderson – The academy graduate came on and injected energy into a tiring team. His contribution in the lead up to Longstaff’s chance was impressive and showed he wasn’t out of place in the game. 6