Tottenham should axe Lucas Bergvall, one damning stat shows how ineffective he was vs Man United
Lucas Bergvall is in no position to demand more minutes at Tottenham after what was seen against Manchester United.
The Swedish international had looked to depart from N17 in the summer due to concerns over his game time.
Bergvall is a fan favourite, with many delighted that he stayed in the end after the transfer deadline.
Against Man United, Roberto De Zerbi turned to the 20-year-old, providing him with a chance to prove himself and an opportunity to push for playing time.
It was a rare start for the midfielder, just his first since the opening weekend of the Premier League.
However, he should be facing a further spell on the bench in the upcoming weeks after failing to take his chance.
Lucas Bergvall has nowhere to hide after dismal display vs Man United
There is no doubt that Bergvall is a talented player, but right now he is far from the level required at Tottenham.
His performance against Man United did not lack heart, but it did lack substance.
Among all midfielders and forwards who started from both sides at Old Trafford, no player lost a higher percentage of their ground duels than Bergvall, as per FotMob.
The 20-year-old won just three out of eight duels, a 38 per cent success rate.
Additionally, he lacked any conviction in getting Tottenham into better areas to score.
Among all Spurs players, he had the fewest line-breaking passes, with one over his 66th minute display.
For context, substitute Mateus Fernandes was only brought on in the 89th minute, and managed to double the Swedish man's total.
De Zerbi has taken plenty of flak this season, but his decision to utilise Bergvall in a sporadic role was justified at Old Trafford.
With Tottenham now having plenty of time to prepare to face Coventry City on 19 October, the 20-year-old should not be surprised if the Italian rightfully returns him to the bench.
For a player seeking to change De Zerb's mind, it was a nightmare performance for him.
Mateus Fernandes deserves more than Tottenham's scraps
On the other side of the coin, Fernandes has found himself on the periphery of De Zerbi's plans despite his £85million summer move.
He has featured for just 149 minutes of the last 450 available in Spurs' previous five games.
That is only 33 per cent of the minutes on offer.
As seen by his limited cameo against Man United, the Portuguese midfielder is a much more positive and forward-thinking option.
With Tottenham having just three goals in six Premier League fixtures, the Italian must put whatever concerns he has about Fernandes aside.
It will help the Lilywhites turn things around.