Leny Yoro endured a torrid evening as Manchester United secured a hard-fought 3-1 comeback win over Southampton at Old Trafford.
Despite Amad Diallo’s stunning late hat-trick salvaging the result for Ruben Amorim’s side, Yoro struggled to contain Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana, who caused havoc down the left flank.
Manchester United found themselves trailing after Manuel Ugarte’s unfortunate own goal gave the visitors a deserved lead just before halftime. While United’s late surge moved them into 12th place in the Premier League, Yoro’s struggles in defense were a significant talking point.
Commentating for TNT Sports, Ally McCoist described the scene: “Look at the space Sulemana is exploiting—he’s been brilliant tonight. Poor Yoro is getting absolutely smashed to smithereens.”
McCoist highlighted the lack of defensive support for Yoro, noting, “He doesn’t have a right-back to help him, De Ligt isn’t offering much assistance, and there’s no one providing cover in front of him.”
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand echoed similar sentiments, labeling Yoro’s performance as a challenging learning experience. “The winger gave him a real test tonight,” Ferdinand said. “This is the Premier League—every team has players who can make life tough, even Southampton. It’s a valuable lesson for Yoro.”
Manager Ruben Amorim attributed United’s sluggish performance, particularly in the first half, to fatigue following their FA Cup penalty shootout win over Arsenal last weekend.
“I felt the team was a little tired after the games against Liverpool and Arsenal,” Amorim explained. “We were late to react, especially in the first half, and struggled to deal with Sulemana’s speed and movement between the lines.”
Yoro, a £58m summer signing, has shown flashes of his potential but will need to bounce back from this challenging outing as United prepare for the rest of the season.