MU: Leny Yoro is a rare gem, possessing an extremely unique style

Leny Yoro is Manchester United's most uniquely styled center-back. Their squad boasts many strong defenders in tackling, aerial duels, and maintaining defensive shape upfront, but the French player shines when the ball is played behind the defense.

"He is very physically gifted," Wes Brown told The Athletic earlier in the season. "You can see he's very quick. And also very good with the ball." In the 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, Yoro displayed many of his standout defensive qualities.

Late in the first half, the visitors regained possession in midfield, forcing Yoro to retreat alongside Harry Maguire. As Ross Barkley advanced with the ball, Harry Maguire signaled to Leny Yoro to prepare for the threat from passes behind the defense, while he himself sought to cut off the danger upfront.

When Barkley attempted to slip a pass to Ollie Watkins, the task of extinguishing the dangerous situation fell to Yoro. The 20-year-old center-back executed it with extreme precision, turning sharply before sprinting forward to make a crucial tackle, so excellent that he regained possession for Manchester United.

"I'm really impressed with Leny. He's still very young," interim manager Michael Carrick said after the match. "A center-back at that age playing in this league and for a club like this requires a lot of understanding and composure. But he handles it very naturally."

"There's still a lot ahead, and it will come naturally as he learns and accumulates experience. At his age, he's doing very well, and you can see his confidence growing, gradually finding his rhythm and adapting to playing in a four-man defense system. He's a fantastic player, very eager to learn, and works extensively with (coaches) Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate."

Although United's flexible attacking quartet sometimes plays unpredictably, the defense performs its duties reliably. Maguire tackles, blocks, and dominates aerial duels with familiar consistency. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens provides calmness in goal, saving shots that should have been goals and defending solidly in corner situations. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot constantly move up and down on the wings and protect the area against crosses.

At the center of everything is Yoro, who is gradually proving himself to be the crucial "safety valve" if the pressure on United's defense becomes too great. The victory on Sunday was his 27th Premier League appearance this season, and his fourth consecutive start since Lisandro Martinez suffered a calf injury.

Yoro does not possess the ball-passing ability to develop play like his Argentine teammate, nor is he as strong in heading as Maguire. But his ability to read situations, react, and control wide spaces is what makes him the ideal complementary piece. In 2020, The Athletic journalist Michael Cox hypothesized that some center-backs are "dogs" (like Maguire, Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, and Ayden Heaven) - those most comfortable tracking the ball-holding player - while others are "cats," standing out due to a combination of positioning, balance, and timing of interventions.

Yoro's promising "cat-like" qualities while playing for Lille OSC once led to comparisons with Raphael Varane and Rio Ferdinand. After a difficult autumn and winter period playing as a right-sided center-back in Ruben Amorim's three-man defense system, he now has a more stable role in Carrick's four-man defense system. Yoro remains a developing talent, but his readiness to learn, improve, and adapt will be a valuable asset for United.

Working with Evans and Woodgate in individual and group training sessions seems to have helped the French center-back improve his composure both with and without the ball. In previous matches, opponents often set up pressing to force United to pass to Yoro, believing he was hesitant to pass forward. But against Villa, he attempted to pass through the midfield.

"We talk a lot with them, do a lot of extra exercises," the center-back said in the post-match interview area after the Aston Villa win. "They explain many things to us, and them being part of the team is a plus. That helps us improve every day.

"I watch a lot of videos, study opponents and on-field situations. They know their job well, so that helps me. I just listen and work."

Yoro also praised Maguire for helping him adapt to life in England and the defensive intensity of the Premier League.

"He always tells me, like: 'Where is the striker?'. We talk before the match and during halftime about how I need to improve my positioning. Playing alongside him is really good for me," Yoro shared.

With a "dog" and a "cat" in the four-man defense, Carrick possesses two players who can complement each other to address temporary cracks in the team's structure. This duo is likely to continue starting together in the away match against AFC Bournemouth on Friday, before returning home to face Leeds United 24 days later.

"It's a whole learning process," Brown added. "I remember when I started, I had to face Duncan Ferguson - a big striker - and I tried to duel with him. But you quickly realize that's impossible, and you have to find another way to defend. Yoro is the same. Everyone makes mistakes, and the important thing is to turn that mistake into something positive."

Yoro's second season at Old Trafford has seen him overcome many difficult situations and mature further. United fans hope his career will continue to progress strongly.

ĐỨC LỘC (According to The Athletic)