Manchester United leaked four goals against Newcastle United, but Rio Ferdinand has seen encouraging signs from Leny Yoro.
The last few days have sparked renewed defensive concerns around Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side.
United drew 2-2 with Lyon on Thursday night as Andre Onana allowed two soft goals into his net.
The focus turned back to the Premier League on Sunday, but United were hammered 4-1 at Newcastle United.
You could make a real argument that all six goals conceded across those two games were soft goals that could have easily been avoided.
Amorim must rectify these issues ahead of a huge clash with Lyon on Thursday night, with Leny Yoro expected to feature once again.
Rio Ferdinand on Manchester United’s Leny Yoro
Yoro scored his first United goal against Lyon last week, heading home from close range to bring United level at 1-1.
The centre back departed Ligue 1 side Lille to join United last summer, and his knowledge of French football may prove vital in this Europa League clash.
Yoro is still only 19, and he will absolutely go through ups and downs as he develops in the United back line.
Sunday was a testing day for the defender, but Yoro has now been praised by Rio Ferdinand.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Ferdinand suggested that Yoro is showing a willingness and an ability to learn from his mistakes.
Ferdinand highlighted that Yoro struggled in wide areas against Southampton earlier this season, but the pair spoke, and Yoro has improved in those situations.
Ferdinand feels that Yoro is showing a real ‘calmness’ in his defending now, moving past the early panic to show a ‘big difference’ in his game.
“What I’ve seen from him, he’s a student of the game. He sees his mistakes, he acknowledges his mistakes, he tries to learn from those mistakes. And I can see that,” said Ferdinand.
“Even when he’s getting out wide in one v one situations, against Southampton he got roasted. I spoke to him after that start getting your arms out, he’s now making contact with people, slowing people down.
“Putting your arm across someone’s chest when you are running ain’t about trying to foul or anything like that, it’s just to slow them down, put them off their momentum put them off pace a little bit, while your legs are motoring.
“Little details I can see now that he’s pushing up people when he’s in the channel, rather than just thinking I’m going to win in a foot race, this is a different league its a more physical league in that sense, at the moment his team isn’t getting no respect from any player, that is going to make it harder for him.
“I think he’s improved definitely and there’s a calmness about him. When he first got in there was a panic. There’s a big difference,” he added.
Leny Yoro should be United’s right-sided defender for years to come
Yoro arrived having mostly played as a centre back in a four-man defence at Lille.
Now playing in a back three under Ruben Amorim, Yoro has been adapting to a new role as a wide centre back.
Yoro played on the left side against Newcastle United but will be looking to lock down the right-sided role moving forward.
Noussair Mazraoui struggled against Newcastle, and questions surround his long-term role in the United back three.
Once United have a fixed left-sided centre back, whether that’s Ayden Heaven, the returning Luke Shaw or Lisandro Martinez once he is back from injury, Yoro will hopefully make the right-sided spot his own.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
