Manchester United played out a frustrating 1-1 Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Red Devils led 1-0 and had a man advantage in the closing stages, but still conceded a late equaliser from a defensive lapse.
United now face a sterner challenge against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano in Tuesday’s Champions League game.
The La Liga giants are a tough opposition to beat on their home turf, and United need a big performance to prevail with a victory.
Ahead of the match, manager Michael Carrick must make a key change in the heart of the midfield.
Youri Tielemans had a disappointing display against Spurs yesterday, and he was constantly outrun by Sandro Tonali and Lucas Bergvall.
The £35 million signing looked out of pace to the naked eye and lost possession on 10 occasions.
There were plenty of moments where he struggled to provide sufficient cover for Kobbie Mainoo, thus creating space for Spurs to capitalise.
It appears a no-brainer decision to drop him from the XI against Atletico.
Carlos Baleba made his United debut against Spurs after recovering from an ankle injury sustained before his summer move from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Cameroon international was almost fit before the international break, and the three-week gap gave him adequate time to build his overall fitness.
The 22-year-old came on to replace Tielemans in the 59th minute yesterday, and immediately offered an upgrade with his extra mobility and work rate.
Baleba made six recoveries against Spurs along with three interceptions and one clearance. He also won three ground duels and provided two key passes.
As things stand, it appears clear that Carrick does not trust Andrey Santos enough. The summer signing has been an unused substitute in recent matches.
Mason Mount is another option, but he is a central midfielder rather than a defensive one.
Baleba has jumped above Santos and Mount in the pecking order in no time, and he should be unleashed from the off when United take on Atletico on Tuesday.
Still, we don’t expect to see him play the entire match in Madrid after his injury lay-off. He could be replaced at the hour mark against Diego Simeone’s side.
Stats from Sofascore.com