Manchester United took a huge step towards Champions League qualification on Saturday night as they beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge
Michael Carrick looks to be leading Manchester United back to the Champions League next season
Michael Carrick looks to be leading Manchester United back to the Champions League next season(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
The footballing Gods conspired against Manchester United this week ahead of their crucial Premier League clash at Chelsea. Michael Carrick was left with just one recognised centre-back for the trip to Stamford Bridge as Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez served suspensions, while Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro nursed injuries.
This left just one man - Ayden Heaven - at Carrick's disposal. The 19-year-old has been one of the victims of the new regime post-Ruben Amorim. Carrick's decision to move away from the back three has seen Heaven slip down the pecking order. Maguire's resurgence has made him undroppable while Martinez and Yoro have both impressed.
With just two centre-backs required in Carrick's preferred formation, Heaven was always going to find minutes tough to come by. But when an opportunity comes along, the Englishman knew he needed to step up and that is exactly what he did. Considering the defensive crisis, the back four was always going to be unfamiliar.
However, few expected Heaven to be partnered by Noussair Mazraoui. The Morocco international has played as a centre-back in a back three but rarely, if ever, in a back four. Despite his vast experience, Mazraoui was not the one leading the defence - Heaven took that responsibility.
The teenager was not a passenger, he commanded the back line and dealt with Chelsea's attack comfortably. He won every aerial duel, which is no small feat considering Liam Delap led the line for Liam Rosenior's team. He also completed 89 per cent of passes and won all three of the tackles he attempted.
No wonder then that Carrick was full of praise for the youngster. "Ayden, credit to him, coming in as a young player for one," he said.
"[He's] not played a lot of football recently, played for England U20s a couple of weeks ago, but to come into that environment is not something that you can take for granted, you know? So credit to him.
"We say the same things to young players all the time, sometimes they look at you as if, like, yeah good one or whatever, 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."
Ayden Heaven wins the ball off Liam Delap during Manchester United's victory over Chelsea
Ayden Heaven wins the ball off Liam Delap during Manchester United's victory over Chelsea
View 2 Images
After such a performance, Heaven has done exactly what Carrick would have wanted pre-match. He has given the interim boss a major selection headache.
Maguire will return to face Brentford a week today and Yoro's injury is only minor so he could be in contention too. If both men are available, Carrick will be tempted to return to a partnership that has worked so well before.
However, Heaven deserves better than to be simply dropped to the back of the line again. When he has been given an extended run in the starting XI, he has not struggled and Saturday night showed he can do more than just hold his own.
If Heaven does drop out again, Carrick will need to use his famed people skills to lift the teenager because that performance at Chelsea should lift him up the pecking order, regardless of who is and is not available.
Content cannot be displayed without consent