Man Utd’s Leny Yoro has endured ups and downs this season, but last weekend suggested he may have turned a corner.
Leny Yoro’s first season at Manchester United was a baptism of fire. When he touched down in Manchester, he didn’t know he was about to be part of the worst campaign at the club for 51 years.
It was a rollercoaster for Yoro. He fractured his metatarsal in pre-season, which delayed his debut until December. He won a starting role in the team and helped United to the Europa League final, but he was half-fit at the San Mames Stadium after suffering an ankle injury two weeks previously.
Yoro was absent from the squad on the final day of the campaign, taking a seat in the stands due to the injury he played through in the Europa League final defeat.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
However, Yoro emerged with credit from last season, having acquitted himself well in a struggling dressing room and delivered a handful of excellent individual performances.
With that experience under his belt, fans were excited to see what Yoro could achieve this term, but there have been further peaks and troughs, a reminder that youth development is not a linear process.
Yoro only celebrated his 20th birthday in November. “I’ve been really impressed with Leny. He’s still so young,” said Michael Carrick last weekend. “As a centre-back playing at that age, in this league and at a club like this, takes a lot of understanding and composure to cope. He takes it in his stride.
“There is loads to come, that will happen naturally as he learns and his experience. At his age, he is doing really well, and you can see him growing in confidence and getting back in the flow of games and playing in a back four. He’s a pleasure to have, he’s desperate to learn, does a lot with Jonny and Woody.”
Carrick referenced coaching from Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate. Both have worked with United’s defenders on an individual basis since Carrick’s appointment, and they have made inroads.
Yoro spoke to reporters after the win over Aston Villa and provided further insight into their coaching. “We speak a lot with them, do a lot of extra work,” he said. “They explain a lot of things to us, and having them as part of the team is just a plus for us. It helps us every day to improve.
“I work a lot on videos, a lot of stuff on the pitch about the opponent, so they know the work they’re doing [coaching staff], so this helped me, I’m just listening and working.”
He continued: “I know I’m really young, I have a lot of things to improve, so they helped me to find that, to work every day on what I have to improve. They speak a lot with me about, not just about football, but about outside football also, because for a young player it’s important to be good outside football, so they know I have lot to improve and they helped me a lot with this.”
It was interesting to hear Yoro discuss the guidance he has received about living “outside” of football. His comment could be perceived as confirmation that he received counsel at the club after being banned from driving for six months for speeding at more than 70mph in a 30mph zone.
On the other hand, it may have simply been a reference to receiving advice from staff on doing the right things to prepare for games away from Carrington, like recharging and mental work.
Yoro seemed to be in a better mental place when he spoke to journalists on Sunday, perhaps buoyed following his best performance in a United shirt for a few months.
He lost his place in the team after a bad performance against Crystal Palace in November, when he was hooked for Noussair Mazraoui in the 55th minute. Yoro conceded a penalty in the first half, and his battle with Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was a mismatch.
Mason Mount put an arm around Yoro at the final whistle at Selhurst Park, and Ruben Amorim spoke to him privately in the days after the game.
“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,” Amorim explained.
“He’s growing, with games and with setbacks, it’s not easy for him as a young guy. He cannot give that to the people the way he came to the bench, he understands that but he was really frustrated.
“On the good side, it shows that he cares, he knows it wasn’t his best game but he did some things well and I showed him that also. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge.”
Ayden Heaven leapfrogged Yoro in the centre-back pecking order and Lisandro Martinez returned from injury. Yoro started in Amorim’s last game in charge against Leeds but was removed just after the hour mark.
Reflecting on a challenging winter, Yoro said: “I think every player has this phase in a season, sometimes you have bad moments, bad performances, and I’m happy to do good games now, to rebound well.”
He came back into the XI due to Martinez picking up an injury in the build-up to the Everton game and while he was shaky against Crystal Palace again when they visited Old Trafford, and Newcastle gave him a stern physical test, his performance against Villa was a big step in the right direction.
“I think when the player comes to the Premier League, they know physicality will be hard, so my body is still growing, and I have to deal with that,” he said about coping with the top-flight’s style.
There are eight games of the season remaining and Yoro is hoping to end strongly to guide United back into the Champions League. “I think the win today was really important for us,” he added after Villa.
“We know that every game is important, but this one is especially important because they’re right behind us. So, we are really happy with the result today. Every player wants to play Champions League, especially when you play for United. This club has to play the Champions League, so hopefully we’re going to get it.”
Yoro will be ready for the Champions League after two seasons’ experience at United. He should be a better player after coming through a tough period.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login