Toby Collyer did something no other Man Utd player on record has done in Europa League clash against Rangers
Toby Collyer marked his first start in a major European competition with a record-breaking performance as Manchester United squeezed past Rangers in Thursday night’s Europa League clash.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who was handed his senior debut by Erik ten Hag in last year’s Community Shield defeat to Manchester City, has made a handful of appearances from the bench this season.
In fact, ahead of Thursday’s game against Rangers at Old Trafford, his only start came in a 7-0 victory over Barnsley in the Carabao Cup third round.
But after impressing head coach Ruben Amorim in recent weeks, Collyer was brought into the starting XI alongside Christian Eriksen – a decision the United boss explained ahead of kick-off.
“He has very good legs, he’s improving with the ball,” Amorim said. “He knows what he needs to do to play for this club and feels the club in the right way. He’s really humble and when you work hard, you get the opportunity.”
The midfielder would repay Amorim’s faith with an accomplished performance in the middle of the park, as goals from Jack Butland [OG] and Bruno Fernandes sealed a dramatic 2-1 win over the Scottish Premiership side.
After being replaced by Manuel Ugarte in the 73rd minute, a stat about Collyer’s performance emerged that impressed onlookers.
According to Opta, the academy product became the first Manchester United midfielder on record (since 2003/04) to record 50+ passes on their first appearance at Old Trafford in major European competition while also maintaining a pass accuracy of at least 94%.
Collyer was praised by many for his display against Rangers, including club captain Fernandes, who described the midfielder as a “great kid” and a “great example of a professional” in his post-match interview.
“He’s a great example of someone who comes from the academy and knows his place, knows how much he wants to get into the positions of other players where they are,” he told MUTV.
“He trains very well every week, he trains at the maximum level every time.”
Fernandes added: “He’s a really good kid who wants to learn. He’s eager to learn, he’s eager to listen. He has big, big qualities – he’s aggressive off the ball, he’s aggressive running with the ball, he’s class in tight spaces. This is just the first few games that he’s getting in, he’s just going to get better.”
Collyer would later open up on his performance in an interview with MUTV.
“I was on the bench with the other lads and we were all delighted, celebrating with the manager and the coaching staff. There’s nothing better and I think we deserved it,” he said.
“It was great [to start against Rangers], these are the nights you dream about playing as a kid, so it’s a great experience for me, great exposure. And with the players around me, I think I was able to show some of the qualities that I possess, so yeah, I’m hoping for more starts.
“It makes the game so much easier when people around you are helping, not just from them two [midfield teammates Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes], but everybody helps me out and each other out.
“We’ve not had many training sessions, but I think with the ones that we have had, everyone is trying to understand their best and make steps, which is all we can do. It’s slow progress, but we’ll get there in the end and I’m sure it’s going well.”
Thoughts on Collyer’s display? Should he start more often? Let us know in the comments.
