Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has praised Youri Tielemans ahead of the Premier League clash with Aston Villa tomorrow.
Tielemans was dropped to the bench for the first time since joining United this summer last weekend.
He was called upon in the second half against Roma after Carlos Baleba suffered an unfortunate hamstring injury.
The 29-year-old helped United play on the front foot as they completed a stunning comeback to register a 3-2 victory in midweek.
Carrick described Tielemans as “fantastic” and admitted that the midfielder will be eager to play against his former club.
The 45-year-old told MUTV: “Yeah, I thought he came on and, in the circumstances, he was absolutely fantastic, Youri, with his experience and his leadership.
“He’s seen it before, done it before, kind of had that aura about him when he came on the pitch, and everyone kind of went with that.
“That’s why he’s here, because he can cope with those sorts of moments and knows what it feels like and calms everybody down. I thought he was really good.
“Obviously, a game against his old club, he’d be looking forward to that as well, but I was really pleased with him the other night.”
Tielemans is set to start vs Villa
The Belgium captain spent three years at Villa Park, making more than 130 appearances and helping the club secure a UEFA Europa League triumph.
He will know plenty about his former teammates’ strengths and weaknesses, although the familiarity works both ways.
His impressive cameo against Roma has strengthened his case for a starting place, particularly with Baleba now expected to miss several weeks through injury.
The £35 million-rated midfielder looks considerably more effective when partnered with someone capable of covering ground relentlessly and providing defensive protection.
Carrick could turn to a midfield pairing of Kobbie Mainoo and Tielemans, although the combination may flourish most when United are able to dominate possession.
Andrey Santos is another option available to the United manager, but Carrick may prefer the experience and composure of the Belgian international for such a crucial encounter.
It is also an important opportunity for Tielemans to reaffirm his importance to the starting XI after being left out against Chelsea last weekend.
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