Ayden Heaven: Ashley Williams hails ‘excellent’ Man United star who did what Lisandro Martinez and Leny Yoro couldn’t vs Chelsea
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Football Insider or go back to LFC Live.
The 19-year-old had played just 14 minutes of Premier League football under interim manager Michael Carrick before the trip, but he was needed amid a host of defensive absences.Man United were without both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez through suspension, and missed Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt through injury. But Heaven, alongside makeshift centre-back Noussair Mazraoui, held firm to secure the clean sheet and see Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal prove to be the winner.Man United’s form took a dip with failure to beat Bournemouth or Leeds United, but Saturday’s victory was a much-needed return to winning ways. ⚽ Man United Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Manchester United fixture.
VISIT THE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Ashley Williams hails Ayden HeavenFootball Insider revealed on Saturday that Man United are reluctant to rush into a decision on their next manager, despite Carrick’s superb run.Saturday’s win was the 44-year-old’s eighth since returning, and certainly among the most impressive.Ayden HeavenStats vs Chelsea (A)Minutes played90Accurate passes49/54Tackles2Blocks4Clearances4Duels won4/6The Red Devils now find themselves 10 points ahead of sixth-place Chelsea, with Champions League football all but confirmed. The defender was everywhere at the back for Man United, taking a leading role as the visitors earned their clean sheet.Heaven made two tackles, four blocks, four clearances and dominated Liam Delap in the duel.Speaking to BBC Match of the Day on Saturday, Ashley Williams was impressed by the defender’s performance against the Chelsea striker, especially after Martinez and Yoro were bested by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Monday’s loss to Leeds.“Really good today, we watched Leny Yoro and Martinez get bullied on Monday by Dominic Calvert-Lewin,” the former Swansea City defender said.“This boy comes in, he’s only 19-years-old and he had an excellent game.
Lets Delap know that he’s there and he’s in the game.”“Big praise from his manager, I thought he was excellent today,” Williams added.What Michael Carrick said about HeavenHeaven has largely remained out of Carrick’s thinking during his time as interim manager so far, but the defender delivered a clear message on Saturday. “But in terms of training every day and looking after yourself and being ready, ’cause you never know when that comes, he probably wouldn’t have thought it would come at the moment with how it has gone, but he was there, he was prepared, and he took it in his stride magnificently.”The defender will expect to start as Man United host Brentford on Monday, with a difficult test against Igor Thiago to contend with.