Sports
Ayden Heaven Sets Sights on Premier League Title After Man Utd 1-0 Newcastle
Viewers tuning into the Premier League’s only Boxing Day fixture this year were left stunned by a comment made by Ayden Heaven following Manchester United’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Newcastle United. The Carrington graduate was asked to put in a taxing shift as the Red Devils held on valiantly to the lead Patrick Dorgu had given them in the first half.
Leaving Old Trafford with 13 shots and 66 per cent possession, the Magpies may rue their missed chances and wonder how they failed to score for longer than usual as they await their next fixture. Some of that profligacy, however, can be attributed to Heaven’s performance, as he became something of a human barricade, blocking eight shots over the course of the night.
There was a reason Sky Sports selected him to stand alongside Man of the Match winner Dorgu for the post-match interview, and an even stronger one for his teammate to suggest the duo should have shared that honour. While that moment gathered traction online, it was Heaven’s ambitious comment about how well United can fare in the new year that really set tongues wagging.
Forget Dorgu: ‘Unbelievable’ Man Utd Star Repaid Amorim’s Faith in Newcastle Win
Ayden Heaven delivered an unbelievable performance as Manchester United held firm against Newcastle, producing a display built on composure.
Ayden Heaven Makes Outlandish Claim About United’s Prospects
Make no mistake about it, some parts of United’s play on Friday night were really promising for those of an Old Trafford persuasion, with particular highlights being some of their short, quick passing combinations to get themselves out of danger, as well as their game management and defensive resilience late on to earn all three points.
There is a sense, however, that those positives may have gone straight to Heaven’s head, as he went on to make some bold claims about his side’s ambitions for the season. He said (watch from 1:40 of his full interview below):
“As Manchester United, we belong in Europe, and we want to get back there next season. We can push for the top four, possibly push for the league. Anything is possible. We are just going to keep trying.”
The reaction on social media was almost immediate, with fans of both United and rival clubs blasting the 19-year-old for his incredible ambition. “Did we watch the same match for him to say this?” one X user asked, while another added: “Win the league? Next he’ll say Santa is real,” and a third wrote: “Does he know the club he plays for?”
“My brother, I love you, but no…” a Man United supporter remarked, as a fifth user concluded: “I wanna smoke what he’s smoking. ‘Win the league’ pahaha. 18 games in and they cant even get more than 30 points.”
Man United’s Realistic Targets for 2026
Everyone should have known that if any player was going to be overconfident, it would be Heaven, who has lived up to his namesake. His comments should only endear him further to supporters following an impressive shift at centre-back, but the last thing United, both as a club and in terms of management, can afford to do is get ahead of themselves.
The current Ruben Amorim era is a project, and projects require patience. After finishing 15th last term – their worst-ever Premier League finish – the Red Devils’ first assignment will be to qualify for Europe again, while asking for much more may prove a little pie in the sky.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are at least seven points clear of the rest in the title race and appear in prime position to carry their form into Champions League qualification.
With Chelsea and Liverpool also on the up in recent weeks, armed with recent top-four experience, this season may simply come too soon for Amorim and his side to book a seat at Europe’s top table – though their reduced calendar could give them the boost they need to spring a surprise.
