Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has defended the club’s young central defenders, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, following the team’s recent defensive struggles. The pair, aged 20 and 19 respectively, were involved in a 3-2 defeat to Brighton in the Carabao Cup, where their inexperience was highlighted by the opposition’s numerous scoring opportunities.
United have conceded 10 goals in their last six matches, with only one clean sheet recorded this season against Sabah in the Champions League. Carrick acknowledged the need for collective defensive improvement but was reluctant to single out individual players for criticism. “We need to improve, no doubt, as a team collectively. It’s not just a backline or certainly a goalkeeper, it’s a collective thing,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Carrick expressed confidence in Yoro and Heaven’s potential and progress. He noted that both players began the Brighton game well and emphasized that young athletes often experience fluctuations in performance as part of their development. “They’ll learn from different experiences and they’re in a really good spot, you know, two young players that have got really good futures,” Carrick said.
The manager also underscored the importance of patience in the development of young defenders, explaining that players reach peak performance at different ages. “Sometimes that age might be 20, sometimes you see players where 22, 23, 24 is a point they start developing, so there’s definitely no cut-off point," he remarked.
Carrick’s approach differs from that of some contemporary managers, such as Ruben Amorim, who has publicly pointed out struggles among his young players. In contrast, Carrick aims to maintain a calm public stance, focusing on collective team progress and shielding young players from excessive scrutiny.
The coaching setup at Manchester United supports this developmental outlook. Former defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans are primarily responsible for individual defensive coaching, while Carrick oversees the tactical aspects of the team's defensive training. Both Woodgate and Evans bring experience and understanding to the role, having played at high levels themselves, which Carrick believes benefits players like Yoro and Heaven.
Yoro, a French international who joined United from Lille for a significant fee, has spent three seasons at Old Trafford and continues to be a focal point of the club’s defensive future plans. Carrick highlighted that while the learning process can be challenging, Yoro is progressing well and has a bright future ahead.
Looking ahead to Manchester United’s upcoming match against Fulham, Carrick expressed a pragmatic view of results, valuing any victory but noting that a clean sheet would provide a welcome confidence boost for the defensive unit.