- Noussair Mazraoui starts for Manchester United
- Morrocan set to partner Ayden Heaven tonight
- It will be the right decision at centreback made by Carrick
Manchester United are depleted in defence for the game against Chelsea tonight (18 April).
Michael Carrick has named his lineup to take on the Blues at Stamford Bridge this evening. The Reds are looking to bounce back after Monday’s disappointing loss against Leeds United.
The spotlight falls on Ayden Heaven, the 19-year-old defender forced into the starting eleven. As the only natural centre-back fit to start, the question in the lead-up to this fixture has been who will partner him. The question has been answered:
Noussair Mazraoui.
Mazraoui Set to Partner Heaven
Carrick has chosen Mazraoui to partner Heaven for this evening’s fixture and it could prove to be the right call. The Moroccan has played at centre-back this season for United against West Ham and Wolves. Albeit it was in a back-three system under the then-head coach Ruben Amorim. Tonight he plays in a traditional centre-back pairing.
Over the course of his career, the 28-year-old has played at centre-back 26 times for club and country. It is not an unfamiliar position by any means, as versatility is one of Mazraoui’s best assets.
Harry Maguire (suspension), Lisandro Martinez (suspension), Matthijs De Ligt (injury) and Leny Yoro (injury) are all unavailable. It poses as a defensive crisis for at least the next two games before Maguire can return.
Carrick Decision Should Logically Pay Off
The decision is a bold yet sensible call by the interim boss to go with Mazraoui as the ‘senior’ centre-back. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot have been preferred in their natural positions to deal with the pace of Estevao and Pedro Neto.
The former Bayern man struggled at right-back in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds. Therefore, he would struggle against two of the trickiest wide men in the league. However, Mazraoui’s technical composure and lack of athleticism will be better suited centrally in this game against Liam Delap.
As Heaven is naturally left-footed, pairing him with the right-footed Mazraoui maintains a natural passing lane and balance that a Shaw-Heaven partnership would have lacked under pressure.
Despite the Reds falling into survival mode at the back, they will still be itching to come away from West London with all three points. A victory ensures that the gap between sixth place widens with a handful of league games to play.
