After a star-making performance against FC Barcelona, all eyes were on Facundo Pellistri when Granada welcomed Almeria.
The visitors are the only team lower than Granada in the league table and with it being a home game, the hope was that Pellistri would build on his performance last time.
It didn’t turn out that way as the Uruguayan remained on the periphery in a 1-1 draw that benefits neither side.
Pellistri’s side conceded early and looked shellshocked as the United loanee remained isolated from the rest of the side early on.
He did grow into the game as it progressed and Granada tried for an equaliser but the end product was missing throughout.
Granada did end up equalising in the 75th minute but the game petered out into nothingness as the home side’s best efforts weren’t enough to salvage three points.
For his part, Pellistri found himself at the end of some chances but nothing clear-cut he could convert.
He had 41 touches of the ball and managed two key passes while completing 18 out of 23 attempted passes.
None of his five attempted crosses found their intended target, a stat which summed up Almeria’s success in frustrating Granada.
Most tellingly, Pellistri lost possession of the ball 13 times as he repeatedly tried to make something happen with the ball at his feet. (Stats via sofascore)
However, his attempts were repelled as either he would just run into a brick wall defending deep or fail to pass through the lines.
It just reinforces what many fans think about Pellistri, that he is an asset in an open game where there is space to play but looks shackled against deep defences.
The performance against Barcelona undoubtedly dominated the headlines, but he will need to add much more to his game to have a future at United.
