Manchester United’s defensive injury crisis has opened the door for Ayden Heaven
Manchester United via Getty Imag
Ruben Amorim believes Manchester United “have a player” in Ayden Heaven following the youngster’s Premier League debut.
Heaven, signed from Arsenal in the January transfer window, ironically made his league bow against his former club in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Replacing Leny Yoro at half-time, the 18-year-old slotted in as the left-sided central defender and fared fairly well especially when tasked with dealing with a returning Gabriel Martinelli for the Gunners.
Heaven, who made his Man Utd debut in the FA Cup fifth round tie against Fulham, could be handed more first-team opportunities in the coming weeks due to the club’s ongoing defensive crisis.
Assessing the youngster’s debut, Amorim made it clear that he would have no qualms throwing Heaven in at the deep end again.
“Ayden’s so relaxed. He seems so relaxed that sometimes he's too relaxed,” Amorim told reporters. “But I think we have a player there, so now we have to control and to tell him that was just the game, et cetera, et cetera.
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“Leny, he has something in his foot, I think. We’ll see if he's available for Thursday.”
Despite being without a host of first-team players, including Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo, United took the lead on the stroke of half-time thanks to a brilliant free-kick from Bruno Fernandes.
Pegged back by Declan Rice’s equaliser, the hosts can count themselves unlucky to have not won the game as Arsenal were, in the end, grateful to goalkeeper David Raya for a series of superb saves in the second half.