100% tackles, 100% ground duels won, 100% long balls: United star showed Carrick what he can bring to the table vs Everton

Manchester United made it five wins out of six under Michael Carrick, as they saw off Everton’s challenge at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night. Super sub Benjamin Sesko did the trick yet again, as the Red Devils climbed up to fourth in the Premier League table, three clear off Chelsea and only three points behind Aston Villa in third. Michael Carrick was forced into a change before the game, with Lisandro Martinez missing out due to injury, and Leny Yoro was drafted into the starting lineup for the game. The Frenchman did not start in the Premier League since the Leeds game, with Ruben Amorim’s treatment not exactly helping matters. Leny Yoro impressive on his return to the starting lineup He was impressive in his cameo against West Ham United two weeks back, and after a difficult personal week, this show of confidence from Carrick would have helped. And he did not disappoint. With the Toffees bombarding the box with crosses and set-piece deliveries, he had to be solid and he was. In total, the 20-year-old made four clearances, while blocking one goalbound effort. He also completed two interceptions while recovering the ball five times. What was most impressive was that the France U21 international won all his tackles and all the ground duels he contested. CategoryStat Goals0 Assists0 Expected Assists (xA)0 Defensive Contributions8 Tackles (won)1 (1) Interceptions2 Clearances4 Blocked Shots1 Recoveries5 Ground Duels (won)2 (2) Aerial Duels (won)3 (0) Dribbled Past0 Key Passes0 Crosses (accurate)0 (0) Accurate Passes49/56 (88%) Passes in Opposition Half (acc.)10/13 (77%) Passes in Own Half (acc.)39/43 (91%) Long Balls (accurate)3/3 (100%) Touches68 Unsuccessful Touches1 Dribbles (successful)0 (0) Was Fouled1 Possession Lost8 Total Carrying Distance127.3 m Carries15 Total Progression51 m Total Shots0 Shots on Target0 Shots Blocked0 stats via sofascore Able replacement for Martinez The former Lille star has always been accomplished with the ball and that was on show against David Moyes’ side as well. He completed 88 percent of his passes, and all his long balls found their mark, helping United escape Everton’s press (all stats via sofascore). Having not started in a long time, nerves and rustiness were expected, but Leny Yoro showed none of that. Should Martinez not recover for the game against Crystal Palace next Sunday, Carrick should have no problems turning to the 2024 summer signing. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25