Man Utd fans are saying the exact same thing about Matthijs de Ligt vs Como after being out for 11 months.
Matthijs de Ligt is back in Manchester United’s starting lineup for their Champions League game against Como — his first competitive match in 11 months. The Dutch defender has been out with a serious back injury that needed surgery, and he was on the bench for the last two United games.
Head coach Michael Carrick decided to start him against Como, hoping to strengthen a defense that has been shaky lately. Fans all seem to agree after watching his first 45 minutes back on the field.
De Ligt’s return started with United conceding a goal just two minutes in, with Nico Paz giving Como the lead at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium. But De Ligt soon made a great clearance, helping to calm any nerves around his comeback.
United had little choice but to start De Ligt because Lisandro Martinez is injured, Ayden Heaven is sick, and Leny Yoro is suspended. This situation reminded many of Martinez’s strong comments after last week’s 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, where he criticized the club for not investing enough and lacking squad depth.
One fan said Carrick could have chosen to give De Ligt some match fitness in league games before throwing him into a Champions League match. Another fan warned that starting De Ligt, who hasn’t played much lately, alongside a slow Maguire was risky. A third added they weren’t confident about De Ligt being thrown in after such a long injury, without even a substitute appearance before the game.
Carrick spoke to TNT Sports about the decision, saying United didn’t have many defensive options, which made De Ligt’s start necessary after being out injured for 325 days. “It’s fantastic to have Matthijs back,” Carrick said. “He’s worked very hard over a long time and has been training for weeks now. It’s great to see him back on the pitch.
“Como is a strong team with a good winning streak. We want to show we’re a strong team too by controlling the game. After Sunday’s match, we want to build on that foundation here, especially playing away in Europe, where keeping possession is important.
“We have a good, experienced team on the field tonight, and I’m excited to see how the boys play.”