Manchester United v AS Roma - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4
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Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both saw eye to eye about Ayden Heaven after something that was immediately “noticeable” about the Manchester United talent.
Ayden Heaven started at centre-back alongside Harry Maguire for Tuesday evening’s Champions League clash, as Lisandro Martinez was dropped to the bench.
The 20-year-old Red Devils talent was at fault for the penalty that Roma received against Manchester United in the first half at Old Trafford earlier this week.
Heaven played 75 minutes in Man Utd’s Champions League comeback performance against Roma before he was subbed off for Red Devils star Lisandro Martinez.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer’s reactions to Ayden Heaven doing Man Utd’s pre-match media before the Roma match spoke volumes
According to StatMuse, Ayden Heaven won two tackles from the two challenges that he made against Roma during his Champions League display. The former Arsenal talent made one interception and had two clearances for Manchester United before Red Devils boss Michael Carrick took him off.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Gary Lineker insisted that it stood out to him that Heaven was the Man Utd player who was sent out to the media content before the Roma match. Alan Shearer felt the same way and singled out how Amad Diallo was alongside Heaven for the media duties.
“I thought it was quite telling before the game that the person they sent out for an interview was Aidan Heaven, who’s obviously very young,” Lineker said.
“I don’t know whether any of the senior players fancied the pre-match interview.”
Shearer then added: “It was noticeable actually that we did say that about — I think it was Amad and Ayden Heaven that were sent out to do the press beforehand.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do,’ you know, where you got to [put] two youngsters out.”
As per ESPN, Ayden Heaven’s Man Utd stats against Roma in the 3-2 Champions League win at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening:
Fouls committed: 2
Yellow card: 1
Lineker conjured the theory that Heaven and Amad Diallo might not receive the same level of media scrutiny as other more senior United first-team players. Shearer added further credence to his fellow podcast co-host’s claims by suggesting the “big hitters” came out to speak to the media only after Man Utd’s comeback win against Roma was completed.
“Maybe you thought if we sent, if they send those out [them], the press are going to be quite easy on them because they’re young lads,” Lineker explained.
Responding to Lineker, Shearer added: “But you saw the big hitters coming after the game, didn’t you? When things were going alright.”
Heaven has made seven appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils first team during the 2026-27 campaign at Old Trafford. United manager Michael Carrick has used the Red Devils talent at both centre-back and as a makeshift left-back this season.