We were into the fifth minute of added time at Old Trafford and Wout Weghorst was still going. Still pressing for his team. He chased down Nayef Aguerd one last time and forced the beleaguered West Ham defender into another error as he miscontrolled Marcus Rashford’s cross. The ball ran loose for Fred to apply the simplest of finishes to Manchester United’s FA Cup fifth round victory.
Aguerd must have been sick of the sight of Weghorst. It was the big Dutchman’s presence at a 77th-minute corner that forced Aguerd into heading into his own net and levelling this tie at 1-1. When he blocked Weghorst’s shot in the 90th minute, the ball rebounded to Alejandro Garnacho to score the decisive goal. And here was Weghorst again, deep into injury-time, still refusing to give him a moment’s peace.
‘I think he was one of the best players on the pitch,’ said Ten Hag afterwards. Some fans will agree with the United manager, some will not. Weghorst is that kind of player. But you couldn’t question his effectiveness as United continued to march on.
‘I think he was involved,’ added Ten Hag. ‘I need to see the corner back, but I think he was there in front. He came up with Harry (Maguire) to force the own-goal.
‘I think the goal from Garnacho he was pressing from the switch of play. He had a role in the third goal where he was creating a good press and forced the opponent to make a mistake where Fred can score. He understands positioning in and out of possession. He is doing a really job for the team.’
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Wout Weghorst has proven himself to be an inspired January signing for Manchester United
The forward’s willingness to work hard typifies the selfless team spirit at United right now
For boss Erik ten Hag, Weghorst is more useful for his team than Cristiano Ronaldo ever was
Those final words from Ten Hag are the most telling. Because while Weghorst won’t be winning the Golden Boot anytime soon, he typifies the selfless team spirit at United right now.
It’s worth remembering that he was brought in as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window. The after-shock of Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan was still reverberating throughout Old Trafford when Weghorst arrived at the club after United struck a deal with Besiktas to cut short his loan move from Burnley.
He had scored eight goals in the first half of the season in Turkey, a significantly better strike rate than his half-term at Turf Moor last season when his two goals weren’t nearly enough to save the Clarets from relegation following a £12million January move from Wolfsburg.
His record at United is hardly sensational either, just one goal so far in the Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest. Weghorst would have been relieved to see the linesman’s flag go up after he stabbed wide from only a couple of yards out in the early stages of Wednesday night’s win over West Ham. His only other effort of note was a shot narrowly over the bar at the start of the second half.
But his work-rate for the team more than made up for it, and that’s where the difference between Weghorst and Ronaldo really shows.
While there is no comparison between the two players – certainly at their peak – Weghorst is actually of more use to Ten Hag than Ronaldo ever was. It always felt as though the Portuguese superstar was in it for himself. Weghorst, on the other hand, is opposite; the archetypal team player, albeit a more limited one than Ronaldo.
His industry enables the likes of Rashford and Garnacho to shine. When Ten Hag wanted to stifle Barcelona’s midfield in the Nou Camp last month, Weghorst filled in as a makeshift midfielder and Frenkie de Jong spent the next 90 minutes trying to shake off his 6ft 6in Holland teammate. It was odd but effective.
Ten Hag still believes the goals will come for Weghorst and he may be right. ‘I have the experience with so many players,’ said the United boss on Wednesday night.
‘I refer to Rashford. At the start of the season he also didn’t score in every game. But I know in my experience that it will come when he (Weghorst) is more settled down.
It felt as though Ronaldo was in it for himself but the Dutchman is the archetypal team player
United were delighted to get Weghorst as Ronaldo’s replacement on the basis that it isn’t easy signing a World Cup striker on loan in January with no obligation to make the move permanent
‘Now he has had a lot of games with us, but not a long period. When he is longer here, the routines will be there. When he has the first goal, more will come.’
United were delighted to get Weghorst as Ronaldo’s replacement on the basis that it isn’t easy signing a World Cup striker on loan in January with no obligation to make the signing permanent. Weghorst, remember, had just hit the headlines for scoring twice in an epic quarter-final against eventual winners Argentina that Holland lost on penalties.
Whether Ten Hag will keep his countryman beyond this season is another matter. United will be in the market for a world-class striker this summer, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, of Napoli, on their list of targets.
That’s the harsh reality of football and Weghorst – at 30 years old – knows how it works. But with a Carabao Cup winner’s medal around his neck, and the possibility of three more to follow, you have to say it has worked out well so far.