Manchester United finally returned to winning ways after a nine-game wait, producing a remarkable 3-2 comeback victory over Roma in the UEFA Champions League yesterday.
Matheus Cunha delivered a heroic performance, winning the penalty that sparked United’s revival before scoring the all-important brace to complete the turnaround.
Shea Lacey also earned lavish praise for his impressive cameo, but Leny Yoro deserves just as much recognition for his contribution to the memorable victory.
Yoro started again in the unfamiliar right-back position and delivered a sumptuous performance.
The 20-year-old completed 89 per cent of his passes and made eight defensive contributions.
His defining moment came in the 39th minute, with United already trailing by two goals and desperately needing to avoid further damage.
Roma had scored twice by exploiting the same tactical approach, overcrowding one channel before quickly switching play with a diagonal pass to catch United’s defence out of position.
The visitors attempted the same move again, but Yoro produced a remarkable recovery run, racing back into his own penalty area before throwing himself into a perfectly timed sliding block to deny what looked like a certain third goal for the Italian outfit.
His last-ditch recovery effort was applauded by the Old Trafford crowd.
Had Roma gone into half-time with a three-goal advantage, the contest could have been beyond the hosts’ reach.
The Frenchman has improved vastly this season, with his role at right-back helping him showcase his technical ability on the ball.
The youngster is also becoming increasingly confident when contesting aerial duels while continuing to develop into an effective ball-carrier.
INEOS will be delighted to see their surprise £52 million investment in 2024 beginning to pay dividends, with the Frenchman showing exactly why the club were willing to spend so heavily on him.
He is the future of the club and deserves backing even if he makes a few mistakes.
Stats from Fotmob.com