The Ecuadorian right winger turned right-back enjoyed one of his best seasons in a United shirt, making 43 appearances across all competitions almost exclusively in his new role.
Pre-Season
Antonio Valencia played the second half of the first pre-season friendly against Wigan. He started the second match against Borussia Dortmund and played 75 minutes before being replaced by Andreas Pereira. In the final friendly, the right back started again and played extremely well. Valencia helped himself to an assist in United’s 2-1 win over Leicester in the Community Shield.
Start of the Season
The Ecuadorian right-back started the season brightly and quickly solidified himself into the Manchester United starting XI. While Matteo Darmian was being used mostly as a left back, Valencia really did not have much competition at the right back position. He added assists in the wins against West Ham and Feyenoord in the beginning of the season to add to his impressive performances.
Mid-Season
At the start of 2017, Valencia continued to impress and even had Jose Mourinho refer to him as the “best right-back in the world”. He added two more assists against Liverpool and Leicester City. His ability to provide service from the right-back position makes him a lethal weapon. He was able to contribute in the EFL Cup final and help Manchester United win the trophy by overcoming Southampton.
End of the Season
The defender provided another assist against Bournemouth and scored a goal against Middlesbrough as the season winded down. He was rested in the Premier League at the end of the season as the Europa League became the main priority. Valencia started in the Europa League final and was a key factor in United keeping a clean sheet.
Overall Stats
Valencia appeared 43 times for United this season and added a goal and 4 assists. He continue to produce for United and it is obvious that Mourinho is a big fan of his. It seems that he will be a key factor for United next year as well.