Rio Ferdinand shares advice to help Leny Yoro develop as a young defender, with comparisons made to Real Madrid full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Leny Yoro has been a regular in Manchester United’s first team since Ruben Amorim became head coach. The 20-year-old missed the start of his first season at the club with an injury, but showcased his ability on multiple occasions after returning to full fitness.
As with every young player, Yoro is experiencing a difficult run of form, which has found him under the spotlight for the first time in his United career.
Yoro has looked exposed at times in Amorim’s back-three system, and it doesn’t help that United are conceding avoidable goals most weeks.
Rio Ferdinand has always urged patience with Leny Yoro
United have been without Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt for weeks, but the return of Lisandro Martinez has given Amorim a chance to take Yoro out of the spotlight.
It remains to be seen if Yoro will keep his place in the line-up when United face Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Rio Ferdinand urges Leny Yoro to focus on clean sheets
Rio Ferdinand will be forever remembered as one of the greatest defenders to play for United.
The former England international has always been complimentary of Yoro, knowing the young centre-back has the potential to rival the best defenders in the modern game.
Yoro has been thrown into the spotlight in recent weeks due to his drop in performance levels. He was at fault for the opening goal in United’s 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday.
In response to that performance, Ferdinand has urged Yoro to focus on keeping clean sheets instead of worrying about his ball-playing ability. He believes the same applies to Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid.
“I’ve said this about Trent, Leny Yoro will be the same, a young Varane, like all these younger players I used to think about and watch, I used to always think, Saliba too, I used to think these guys are so good on the ball and so comfortable with the ball, they don’t have to think about what they do with the ball,” Ferdinand said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“So their pre-match thought process should be purely about keeping clean sheets and how I’m going to do that.
“My personal battle with that player, my duels, my 1v1 moments, protecting the channel when I push in, when I stand off, those are the things that you should be going through your head night before a game, morning of a game.
“Everything else with the balls, you’re just too natural, you don’t have to worry about it. That’s how I became a better defender and thought defensive first over skill.”
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It’s also crucial that Yoro gets the protection he needs from his senior teammates.
Leny Yoro guilty of overthinking
Yoro conceded a penalty in United’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at the beginning of December
Speaking to reporters after the match, Amorim questioned Yoro’s behaviour after being substituted, but stressed that the young defender is thinking too much.
“It’s really important,” Amorim said.
“I also spoke with him [Yoro] because he thinks too much. He makes a mistake in the game and then he struggles because he’s too young and he wants to do everything so well. He’s growing with games and with setbacks; it’s not easy for him as a young guy.
“He cannot give that [reaction] to the people, the way he came to the bench. He understands that, but he was really frustrated. It shows he cares. He knows it wasn’t his best game, but he did some things well and I showed him that. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge.”
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