Mkhitaryan States His Case

Henrikh Mkhitaryan showed Manchester United what they had been missing with a starring role in their 4-0 win over Feyenoord. Peter Smith assesses his comeback...

Henrikh Mkhitaryan had been a man of mystery so far this season.

Hailed as one of the signings of the summer following his £26.3m switch from Borussia Dortmund, the Armenia international found himself completely out of the first-team picture after being hooked off at half-time on his full debut against Manchester City.

He didn't even make Jose Mourinho's matchday squad against Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend.

But, making his first start since that derby game, Mkhitaryan delivered a reminder of his quality in United's 4-0 win over Feyenoord on Thursday night.

His name received the loudest cheer when the teams were read out ahead of kick-off and there was an air of intrigue around Old Trafford; the home support were eager to see what the midfielder - who recorded 11 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga last season - could do in a Manchester United shirt, given another chance.

The 27-year-old was clearly keen to state his case, firing off three shots in the first half, just one shy of the number he'd attempted in his previous five appearances for United. But there was no escaping the look of a player who has been starved of first-team action.

Mkhitaryan had just 33 touches in the first-half (only Zlatan Ibrahimovic and goalkeeper Sergio Romero had fewer) yet his three unsuccessful touches were the most of any player on his side.

Along with Ibrahimovic, he was one of only two players for the home team to fail to make a tackle or interception in the opening period, too, according to Opta data.  

Yet, despite those facts, there were clear examples of Mkhitaryan's quality.

Back-to-back one-twos around the edge of the box with Wayne Rooney would have seen him through one-on-one, had his captain's return ball not been over-hit, while another connection between the pair led to Mkhitaryan nearly latching onto an Ibrahimovic knock-down in the six-yard area.

There were other glimpses of neat footwork and tidy dribbling which were hallmarks of his play at Dortmund - but there's no doubt Mourinho would have demanded more from his man at half-time.

He got it. Within moments of the re-start Mkhitaryan, pressing with renewed verve, nearly nicked the ball off the visitors' right-back Rick Karsdorp and then battled his way through two challenges as he drove towards the Feyenoord area. On 49 minutes his left-foot snap-shot was blocked at close range.

Sixty seconds later Mkhitaryan had United supporters out of their seats again with a surging, slaloming run from his own half deep into enemy territory past three Feyenoord defenders. He was bundled down 25 yards from goal, yet remarkably Jens Toornstra's challenge went unpunished. There was not even a free-kick from referee Manual Grafe when some officials would have brandished a red card.

With his tail up, Mkhitaryan became United's catalyst. He rifled into the side-netting after playing the ball off Ibrahimovic and breaking into the box, and a succession of quick passes with Rooney and the Swede opened the Dutch side up once more just after the hour mark.

While Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic, Rooney and Juan Mata may not bring running speed to United's frontline, the Armenian's rapid one-twos around the area injected pace into the home side's attack. A feature which has sorely been absent so far this term.

Mkhitaryan would have capped his comeback display with a goal had Brad Jones not diverted Ibrahimovic's cutback into his own net but, even without a goal or an assist, he left a significant mark on this game.

Substituted late on to appreciative applause, Mkhitaryan has played his way back into contention.

The mystery man is back in the spotlight and looks primed for a Premier League return against West Ham at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Credit: Skysports.com