Stats prove why Gary Neville was right to wax lyrical about Man United defender who was ‘absolutely outstanding’ vs Newcastle
Ayden Heaven was superb for Manchester United in Friday’s win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
Manchester United beat Newcastle 1-0, with Patrick Dorgu claiming the game’s only goal with a great strike.
Running onto a ball that had been headed up high, the left-back smashed into the bottom corner to put his side in front.
Newcastle wanted a penalty when Lisandro Martinez appeared to handle the ball, but Anthony Taylor was not interested.
Bruno Fernandes has been ruled out for at least a month, with Manchester United facing their toughest test of the season so far in his absence.
Ayden Heaven impresses vs Newcastle United
Heaven was slammed for his performance against Bournemouth, with the defender appearing out of his depth.
The Cherries found runners who constantly ghosted off the back of Heaven, who was deployed in the centre of the back three.
| Ayden Heaven | vs Newcastle United |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Accurate passes | 34/36 |
| Passes into final third | 3 |
| Tackles | 1 |
| Clearances | 8 |
| Duels won | 2/3 |
Against Newcastle, however, Ruben Amorim elected to switch to a back-four, selecting Heaven and Lisandro Martinez in the centre.
And the change seemed to suit both players, with Heaven taking the spotlight for a superb display.
The 19-year-old completed eight clearances, registered a block and a tackle, and did not commit a single foul on the night.
On the ball, he completed all but two of his passes and won the majority of his duels, too.
It was a display that warranted exciting things for Heaven’s future, and Manchester United will be delighted, too, considering they paid Arsenal just £1million to sign him.
Gary Neville lauds Heaven
Heaven left Arsenal for first-team opportunities, and, despite the ups and downs Manchester United have experienced since his arrival, that move has paid off.
The young defender has made 13 appearances since signing for the Red Devils, and the Gunners brought in two more senior centre-backs in the summer.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Gary Neville said: “He [Heaven] was absolutely outstanding, that young man.
“He was absolutely brilliant. He headed everything clear, and he rightly gets a huge from Luke Shaw and the coaching staff.”
Amorim has taken a lot of criticism since his arrival at Manchester United, but the trust and the development of Heaven is something he can certainly be praised for.
Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are expected to return to the Portuguese coach’s options in the coming days, but the 19-year-old will be right among the top candidates for the back-line.