Manchester United picked up their sixth clean sheet of the season against Chelsea on Saturday, 18 April, in the Premier League. The Red Devils were facing a defensive crisis ahead of the game, with Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire suspended.
The Premier League giants were also without Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro due to injuries. The situation prompted caretaker manager Michael Carrick to field an unconventional centre-back pairing of Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui at Stamford Bridge.
It was Heaven’s first start under Carrick, while Mazraoui was also operating in an unfamiliar position. However, the duo were solid at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea registering 20 shots on the night, only one of which was on target.
While the hosts did hit the frame of the goal on two occasions, Senne Lammens largely had a quiet outing, picking up his fourth clean sheet since Carrick’s arrival. The Belgian custodian has now paid tribute to the backline for stepping up amid a host of absentees.
Speaking to The National, Lammens insisted that he had full trust in the makeshift centre-back pairing. He said: “It’s not always the easiest. We also had it a couple times where players came in and came out this season, especially at centre-back. It’s a position where you need a little bit of confidence, where you need a little bit of like getting used to it.”
“So it’s difficult when you’re not playing sometimes for a couple of months or a couple of games and you have to come in. Of course, I have the biggest trust in them because you see it every day in training and that’s also the biggest change for me as well.”
“If you see in this club, everyone in the squad is able to play and able to perform at that level so you know when their moment is there they have to be ready for it. So yeah, they did it today. They did a very good job I think. It didn’t really feel like there was a lot of change to be honest so I can’t praise them enough as well.”
When asked to elaborate on what Heaven and Mazraoui did well, Lammens added: “Just like not trying anything too difficult. Sometimes you come in and you maybe want to show yourself too much, especially for young guys.”
“It’s not easy so I think they both did a good job and of course Nous (Mazraoui) playing centre-back when he’s normally a right-back which is not always the easiest. But I think today you couldn’t tell he wasn’t a centre-back his whole life.”
“So playing together as well, helping each other out and also the team helping them out. It was a hard-fought team win. Everyone performed and especially those two guys I have to praise a lot.”
“I mean we did a good job today but it’s not there yet, we’re not finished yet, and as well, even if we get it [Champions League qualification], we still want to win those last remaining games. Of course that’s the first goal, but the next goal is also to keep looking up, and you never know.”
With Aston Villa and Liverpool also winning this weekend, the race for the top four places remains fairly open. United, as such, will be eager to have Maguire back when they face Brentford at Old Trafford on 27 April.
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