Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has revealed why Matthijs de Ligt was not named in the official football leadership group during the summer. De Ligt rescues United against Tottenham Hotspur De Ligt was United’s hero of the day, scoring an extremely late goal to salvage a point for the club in their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon. United took the lead in the first half courtesy of Bryan Mbeumo, but their advantage was wiped out after two quick-fire goals by Mathys Tel and Richarlison. It looked like the Red Devils’ unbeaten streak was poised to come to an end, but in the 97th minute, De Ligt proved decisive. The Netherlands international demonstrated some clever movement and determination to head home a Bruno Fernandes cross from the corner flag. The goal marked De Ligt’s first for the club this season. After the final whistle, De Ligt spoke to the media and acknowledged that he was not happy with his role in Tel’s equalising strike. However, he praised the team’s resilience. When Amorim revealed his six-man leadership group in August, De Ligt was oddly not included alongside the likes of Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Tom Heaton, Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot. De Ligt’s leadership credentials are without question, and this was evident again vs. Spurs. Amorim told reporters that the 26-year-old is still a leader in his own right, even though he is not officially part of the exclusive six-man group. Amorim reveals reason for De Ligt exclusion Amorim said [via Manchester Evening News], “I am just trying to put different styles in the leadership group. But in the end, everyone has to be a leader and to help each other. I think he is doing really well, really aggressive, is defending well.” “I think he has more quality with the ball than he is showing. He is still in the point of not wanting to make mistakes with the ball.” “He is doing that really well because that is a smart thing for a player. But when we reach a very good point, our three centre-backs will control the tempo and the quality of the game.” On the result, Amorim remarked, “We have a lot of problems, we are just in the beginning, sometimes the results show to people we are improving, but have a lot to do. You can divide the game in the final 10 minutes. Also when we have to take out Harry Maguire and Casemiro at the same time. Then suffer two goals. Then losing Ben. Even before the second goal with a big opportunity.” “To play with 10 men for 10 minutes, then to overcome everything and to score is a good thing. We were comfortable in the game, but we should do better, be more aggressive, feel the environment in the stadium, the three points were there, the space was there, we felt too comfortable during the game.” Amorim emphasised that the game was there for the taking, although he credited his players for having more energy than during last weekend’s encounter at Nottingham Forest. Featured image Alex Pantling via Getty Images 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
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