Manchester United faced Liverpool at Old Trafford, where Erik ten Hag made some changes to the XI, including bringing Willy Kambwala into central defense. Kambwala, a 19-year-old player, was given his second start for the Red Devils after injuries to Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans. With Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof also out, Kambwala had an opportunity to shine on the big stage as United aimed to bounce back from recent losses. This match against Liverpool was only his eighth appearance for the club and his second senior start, having made his debut in a previous game against West Ham.
Ten Hag praised Kambwala’s performance after his debut, highlighting the young defender’s potential to develop into a top-level central defender. Kambwala, who previously captained France at the Under-16 level, joined United from Sochaux and has progressed through the club’s youth ranks. Despite being relatively new to the first team, Kambwala has shown promise and was thrown into the spotlight due to injuries in the defense. In a recent game against Chelsea, Kambwala had to step up after Varane and Evans had to be replaced, despite United eventually losing the match 4-3.
In the game against Liverpool, Kambwala was expected to start alongside Harry Maguire in central defense, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot as full-backs. Marcus Rashford returned to the starting XI after being dropped in the previous game. With Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, and Bruno Fernandes in midfield, United were looking to secure a crucial win to boost their chances of finishing in the Champions League spots in the Premier League table. Liverpool, on the other hand, made three changes to their lineup for the match.
United, who had only picked up one point from their last six matches, were looking to secure a much-needed victory against Liverpool. The Red Devils were currently sixth in the Premier League standings and needed to improve their form to climb the table. With Liverpool also pushing for a positive result, the game was expected to be a tightly contested affair between two historic rivals. Kambwala’s performance in defense would be crucial for United as they looked to secure all three points and make a push for a top-four finish.
