Percy Tau set for Manchester United test
Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau is in line to face Manchester United on Thursday evening as Club Brugge take on the Red Devils in the first leg of the last 32 of the Uefa Europa League.
Percy Tau. Pic: Getty Images
If he does feature, it will be another huge moment in a landmark season for the 25-year-old Bafana Bafana striker, who played in all six of his side’s games in the Uefa Champions League group stages, most memorably grabbing an assist in a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid.
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Tau joined Brugge on loan from English Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion at the start of this season, and has four goals and seven assists in all competitions, though he has only been in and out of the team since the Belgian season resumed after a winter break.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns man has only started one game for Brugge this year, though he has also made two appearances off the bench. He made an impact as a substitute last weekend, as he set up Mats Rits for the winner in a 2-1 league victory over Waasland-Beveren.
Tau has not scored for the runaway Belgian league leaders since December 15, however, and club Brugge did add two attackers to their artillery in the January transfer window, in Senegalese front man Mbaye Diagne, who already has four league goals, and Czech striker Michael Krmencik.
Brugge coach Philippe Clement did tell reporters at the end of his side’s winter camp that Tau had some work to do in terms of getting back to full speed.
“He is behind in terms of fitness and will have to catch up. He didn’t participate in all the training and that is unfortunate,” said Clemen
“When fit again‚ he needs to catch up if he is going to be in contention to be picked for our next matches. He is a bit overloaded. There are no major problems‚ or not for the coming weeks or months‚ but this is a guy we don’t want to take risks with.”
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