Matthijs de Ligt leads the way for Premier League centre-backs this season in one key statistic – and it explains why Ruben Amorim is such a fan of the Manchester United star.
Aggressive defenders/h5>
Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation has been the subject of much controversy since the Portuguese coach arrived at Old Trafford last November to replace Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils continue to struggle to execute their head coach’s system on the pitch despite improvements from last season.
One of the foundational areas that Amorim relies on for the set-up to work is for the outside centre-halves in the back three to push up and buttress the midfield pivot, which can easily become overloaded by the opposition.
Most sides in Europe’s top five divisions, especially in the Premier League, play with a three-man midfield.
This means United’s pivot, normally comprising Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, will often face a numerical disadvantage in the centre of the pitch.
But if the RCB or LCB step into midfield to support their teammates, this levels the playing field and helps box the opposition in with a proactive high line.
It is a unique tactic which relies on aggressive centre-backs and extensive work in training to help effectively implement on the pitch. Players can ill-afford to lose duels as well, as it leaves the team exposed in quick transitions.
And it’s this requirement – dominant defenders capable of consistently winning the ball – which is why De Ligt has shone for United this year.
Leading the league
According to Data Mob – a leading website for statistics – no other centre-back in the Premier League has won more defensive duels than De Ligt this season.
The Dutch international ranks first with 23 duels with Fulham defender Calvin Bassey in second with 20.
🇳🇱⚔️ No centre-back has won more defensive duels than Matthijs de Ligt in the Premier League this season
◉ 23 — Matthijs de Ligt
◎ 20 — Calvin Bassey
◎ 17 — Joachim Andersen
◎ 17 — Ibrahima Konaté
◎ 16 — Maxime Estève📊 https://t.co/McR5zrPkTO pic.twitter.com/OQuLinnuNN
— DataMB (@DataMB_) September 21, 2025
De Ligt was imperious at Old Trafford last night as United battled to a much-needed 2-1 win over Chelsea in torrential rain.
Despite club captain Bruno Fernandes scoring his 100th goal for the Red Devils, it was the 26-year-old defender who stole the show with a brilliant display where he consistently thwarted the Chelsea attack.
Matthijs de Ligt’s game by numbers vs. Chelsea:
86% pass accuracy
67 total touches
8 passes into the final third
4 clearances
4 tackles
2 interceptions
2 crosses
1 chance createdColossus. 🪨 pic.twitter.com/ulJFMamEgf
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 20, 2025
Tweet: “Matthijs de Ligt’s game by numbers vs. Chelsea: 86% pass accuracy 67 total touches 8 passes into the final third; 4 clearances; 4 tackles; 2 interceptions; 2 crosses [and] 1 chance created. Colossus. “
This is the exact type of performance Amorim has been demanding from his players: aggressive pressing and unrelenting work rate to suffocate the opposition. De Ligt was central to this approach yesterday, matching a superb run of individual form his teammates have largely struggled to match this season.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
