Manchester United fans sang praises of their heroes as a memorable performance saw them knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup despite the odds stacked against them.
From Diogo Dalot’s red card to dubious penalty decisions, Man Utd had to overcome great difficulty on a tough ground but did so in the biggest compliment to the squad so far.
For a team that has had its mentality questioned, at times by Ruben Amorim too, this was an emphatic statement of intent.
The game provided many heroes to the fans but Rio Ferdinand pointed out one of his favourites, dropping an emphatic three-word verdict that would match most United fans‘ sentiments.
Rio Ferdinand’s verdict on Leny Yoro
Ferdinand’s admiration for Leny Yoro, and vice versa, is no secret and the role the former United man played in swaying Yoro was pivotal in the summer.
Yoro has had a stop-start career at Old Trafford so far due to an injury that broke his momentum but Ruben Amorim has handled him expertly so far.
His cameos have left the fans salivating about his potential and glimpses of world-class moments have ensured that he remains front and center in fans’ memories.
Against Arsenal, he started on the bench again and only came on in injury time but again managed to make a marked impact on the game.
Not only was he a major presence in the box to deal with Arsenal’s late aerial bombardment, but he dispatched his penalty with confidence that belied his age.
Ferdinand got carried away in the euphoria and immediately gave a three-word verdict on Yoro, saying, “Lenyyyyyy big ba–s!!!”, alluding to his confidence despite the importance of the moment.
Leny Yoro is destined for stardom
Ruben Amorim’s handling of the player has ensured that he’s not thrust into the “saviour” role that far too many youngsters have been pushed toward before him at this club.
Being anointed the saviour only feeds the hate when they inevitably have their first sour patch because the come-down then is so much worse.
Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have both been through that and Amorim has been wise to drip-feed Yoro into the team.
In Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt, he’s finally got a settled defensive axis so the need for Yoro to “save” the defence is not urgent anymore.
He can expect to start against Southampton now, where United will dominate possession and territory, easing himself into the first-team picture again.
His moments have shown that United have a generational talent on their hands.
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