Mohammed Kanno and Nasser Al Dawsari Keep Al Hilal’s Midfield Dominant in Ruben Neves’s Absence
Ruben Neves has been out with a knee injury for a month now and missed five games during that time. In his place, Mohammed Kanno and Nasser Al Dawsari have stepped up in a big way to ensure Al Hilal do not miss the Portuguese national services.
Signed from English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, Neves has been a mainstay in the Al Hilal midfield alongside Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The pair combined last season to devastating effect, helping Al Hilal control games and end the season with the Saudi Pro League trophy plus an unbeaten record.
A disadvantage of teams relying on individual players to deliver results is that they can only win when certain players are fit and in good form. Al Nassr are a perfect example, given that their results have been correlated with Cristiano Ronaldo’s form and availability. Al Hilal has avoided this issue by building a squad where everyone can step up whenever called upon. Al Dawsari and Kanno are examples of this.
During Neves’s absence, Al Hilal have won four matches and drawn one. Playing alongside Milinkovic-Savic has certainly helped, but both players have filled the gap admirably. They will continue to do so as Neves is expected to be out of action until January next year.
