Erik ten Hag shares why Victor Lindelof was absent. Victor Lindelof’s exclusion from the matchday squad for Manchester United’s Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield on March 5 was explained by boss Erik ten Hag. Due to a minor injury, the Swedish defender was not selected for the squad.
The central defensive combination against the Reds is Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. Ten Hag discussed Lindelof’s absence with MUTV before the game against Jurgen Klopp’s squad (as reported by United’s official website): “Everyone wants to participate, there is no doubt about that, but after every intense, high-level game, there are going to be some setbacks, so we have to accept that. You, therefore, receive some blows after every game! He didn’t have enough time to recoup from that. It’s unfortunate for us, but we must accept it.”
This year, Varane and Martinez have been Ten Hag’s top choices for defense. As a result, players like Lindelof and Harry Maguire have struggled to see consistent action this season. For Manchester United this season, Lindelof has made 20 starts and has contributed to eight clean sheets. The center-back joined the Red Devils in 2017 after leaving Benfica, and he has since played 216 times for the Old Trafford team.
Many found it unexpected that Erik ten Hag chose Diogo Dalot over Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Wan-Bissaka has been performing well recently, while Dalot had a good season to start. In recent games, the erstwhile Crystal Palace player has taken on a new persona. In 18 games, he has contributed to Ten Hag’s team’s 10 shutouts. Dalot has been dependable for the squad this year, too, so his exclusion was a little surprising given Bissaka’s performance.
The Manchester United manager explained his decision before the game: “Every time, this decision must be made, but I believe Diogo is doing a fine job, as evidenced by his performances last weekend against West Ham and this week against Newcastle. But because Aaron is performing so well, it’s very close.” Along with Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez, Dalot is a member of the defense four.
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