Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui Contends Team’s League Position Does Not Reflect Quality

Full-back Noussair Mazraoui believes Manchester United possesses “too much” quality for their current standing in the league table. In a week that saw Erik ten Hag sacked as manager and assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy stepping up to take caretaker charge, United ended it with a 1-1 draw against rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford. The Red Devils sit 13th in the Premier League table with just three victories and 12 points, recording their worst points haul after 10 matches since 1986-87. However, Mazraoui feels the team deserved more at the weekend and their current position does not reflect where they should be. “We fought really hard, but I think eventually if you look at the game and the chances we created, we deserve to win,” he told MUTV. “I think if you look at the table where we are now, you cannot say that’s where we belong. Everybody knows that. We know that.” “We have to step up and get away from there really, really fast because, yeah, that’s just not us.” “You see that [against Chelsea]. We have too much of a quality to be there in this position.” Van Nistelrooy shared a similar view to the Morocco international, saying the Chelsea draw and Carabao Cup win against Leicester showed a foundation of “spirit and fight” that means “football qualities will come out” at United. But Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes the Dutchman’s side overstepped the mark late on in the game, when he felt Lisandro Martinez should have been sent off for a challenge on Cole Palmer. Asked if the match was at times too physical, Mazraoui said: “I don’t agree. No, no, not too physical. I think it was really passionate from both sides.” “I think for the supporters a great game to watch, even though there were just two goals in there. I think an amazing game to watch from everybody.”