Man Utd centre-back Leny Yoro has seemingly broken his silence on Thierry Henry’s comments about his performance against Newcastle.
Alejandro Garnacho cancelled out Sandro Tonali’s opener for the Magpies as the Red Devils went in level at the break at St James’ Park.
But two goals from Harvey Barnes and another from Bruno Guimaraes blew Man Utd away in the second half as Newcastle came out 4-1 winners.
And Arsenal legend Henry singled out 19-year-old Yoro – who joined for £52m in the summer from Lille – for criticism over his body language after Barnes scored his second goal of the day.
As a guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Henry said: “I invite everyone to stay on Leny Yoro. First and foremost, he’s going to try to play offside.
“It’s a great finish from Barnes but please stay on Yoro and what he’s asking for… pause.
“I don’t know what he’s looking at. What are you looking at? Are you looking at the linesman to try to see if he’s going to bail you out? I don’t know.
“I don’t know if he thought there was an offside, I don’t know. We all know it’s a goal! What are you looking at?! I actually don’t know. I’ve never seen that before.”
When analysing Barnes’ first goal, Henry again criticised Man Utd defender Yoro for not tracking back, he added: “Diogo Dalot, I don’t know what he saw or what he thought was going to happen.
“Leny Yoro doesn’t go back and try and defend it, they’re second in everything, the desire was one Newcastle’s side.
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“It’s just not good enough really.”
Henry has been criticised by fans on social media for his comments, and in our Mailbox, and seemingly responding to Henry’s comments, Yoro posted a message to Man Utd fans on Instagram with a picture of him looking dejected against Newcsastle.
The caption in French translated to: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but always ask God for what you need. And when you pray, ask for it with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6.’
Speaking after defeat to Newcastle, Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand told his YouTube channel that there are signs of improvement from the young Frenchman.
Ferdinand commented: “It was a tough start for him but young players need to come into a team, if they’re going to do well, with players around them and look to when it’s not going well and draw confidence from.
“That’s why I feel sorry for some of these players that join Man United at the moment because there’s only Bruno [Fernandes].
“What I’ve seen from him, he’s a student of the game. He sees his mistakes, he acknowledges his mistakes, he tries to learn from those mistakes. And I can see that.
“Even when he’s getting out wide in one v one situations, against Southampton he got roasted. I spoke to him after that start getting your arms out, he’s now making contact with people, slowing people down.
“Putting your arm across someone’s chest when you are running ain’t about trying to foul or anything like that, it’s just to slow them down, put them off their momentum put them off pace a little bit, while your legs are motoring.
“Little details I can see now that he’s pushing up people when he’s in the channel, rather than just thinking I’m going to win in a foot race, this is a different league its a more physical league in that sense, at the moment his team isn’t getting no respect from any player, that is going to make it harder for him.
“I think he’s improved definitely and there’s a calmness about him. When he first got in there was a panic. There’s a big difference.”
