Manchester United lost to Arsenal and drew Fulham to start the 2025/26 Premier League season, and then they went ahead and completely embarrassed themselves with a loss to Grimsby Town in the League Cup.
That defeat highlighted just how far the standards have fallen at Manchester United, and when you lose to a side like that, the blame immediately shifts from the manager to the players.
United responded with a win over Burnley, and while a 3-2 victory over a newly promoted side with very limited talent is hardly earth shattering stuff for a Manchester United team with as much financial investment as they’ve had, it was still a step in the right direction.
Bryan Mbeumo was the hero and Man of the Match, and he certainly looks like the best of the new signings at Old Trafford, having scored 20 goals with 7 assists for underdogs Brentford last season.
But I think more praise needs to go to a major signings Manchester United made in 2024, Leny Yoro. The Frenchman had a rough first season at Old Trafford, though it would have been difficult for any teenage center back to make not only the transition to the Premier League and to one of its most pressurized – and dysfunctional – clubs, but it was just about impossible for any young defender to find success under the revolving door of Erik ten Hag to Ruben Amorim.
Leny Yoro is so much more confident now
To start the 2025/26 season, Yoro is already showing more of a comfort level in his new environment and in the Amorim system, and he legitimately looks like he could be one of the best center backs in the Premier League.
Manchester United spent a fair bit of money in order to get Yoro to come to them, and they were very ecstatic to have pulled off the deal, given Real Madrid saw him as a generational talent after the breakout year he had in Ligue 1 during the 2023/24 season for Lille.
So, Yoro came in with higher expectations than most teenage center backs, and while he failed to deliver on them, that may have helped him for the 2025/26 campaign by allowing him to enter the season under the radar.
Moreover, unlike last season due to injury, Yoro had a preseason and more time to gel in a now familiar environment, and the results have been palpable to Manchester United fans.
Yoro is averaging 1.7 tackles and 1.7 interceptions through his first three starts with just 0.3 dribbles completed allowed per game. The 19-year-old has been as good on the ball as advertised at Lille, and he looks like a more confident player in year two.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise. A special talent like Yoro was always going to come good, and now that the pressure is off a bit, the Frenchman can relax and play his game, which is a lovely one indeed.
Already one of the best center backs in the Premier League at reading the game and remaining composed on the ball, Yoro is a huge bright spot and future building block for Manchester United, and he’s quietly been a massive success story to start the 2025/26 season.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2011. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has contributed to sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. Joe’s work has appeared in ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling, respectively.