Analysis: Leny Yoro Criticized by Gary Neville & Roy Keane for Role in Manchester United's Defeat at Aston Villa
Leny Yoro faced heavy criticism from Manchester United legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane for his performance in United's recent 2-1 loss to Aston Villa. Both goals scored by Morgan Rogers were particularly scrutinized, with Yoro singled out for his lackluster defending. Here is an in-depth analysis of the game and the scathing comments from Neville and Keane.

Leny Yoro saw his performance for Manchester United in their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa torn apart by Red Devils legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville. The French defender had to shoulder much of the blame for both of Morgan Rogers’ goals in the West Midlands, with United accused of being “one of the worst teams in the league” when out of possession.Ruben Amorim had plenty to be encouraged about when watching his team face opponents that had won their last nine games across all competitions. The Red Devils also headed into the match knowing they had not come unstuck at Villa Park since 1995. Such records are, however, there to be broken.United ended up shooting themselves in the foot on a couple of occasions, with 20-year-old centre-half Yoro proving to be particularly culpable. He “ambled” out to close Rogers down before seeing the Villa playmaker stick a first-half effort in the top corner, before failing to block a similarly impressive strike just before the hour mark.Ex-Red Devils captain Keane held nothing back when delivering his full-time assessment on Sky Sports, with the Irishman saying: “You can have all the talent in the world, but we mention it time and time again, you've got to roll your sleeves up. When the game gets a bit tired, or those moments, you go, 'I'm going to do my bit for the team.' There's too many players, like [Diogo] Dalot, who just don't do enough.“I won't use the word 'cheating' but they're not doing enough. And after the game, I'd be looking at him [Yoro], I wouldn't be looking at the other bits, I'd be asking him, 'are you going to stop him?' Same with the first goal, when Rogers gets the ball wide, we're all sitting there, we know there's danger. Do they not know there's danger?'“These are the ugly bits of football. We know you've got the other bits, but you've got to do the ugly bits. That's what all the top teams do. But you can also dig deep, you can win playing ugly. You have to find a way to do that.“Out of possession they're one of the worst teams in the league. With the ball they're good, but if you want to be a top footballer, it's about what you do out of possession. Man United cut corners, take too many risks and I'm glad they get punished. I like to see teams getting punished who take chances and let their team-mates and fans down.”Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Former United defender Neville was just as scathing when casting an eye over Rogers’ first goal for the Villans. He said: “That is so, so special. So, so good from Morgan Rogers. John McGinn fires it into him after a little wrestle with Luke Shaw and I just thought, as Yoro doesn't go and close him down on that first touch… he ambles, Manchester United's right centre-back.“I thought, 'Uh oh, you could be in trouble here', because Rogers can do that. There's no doubt Leny Yoro has to get out quicker, he has to make sure confronts him outside the box. But once he doesn't, Rogers still has a lot to do and my goodness me does he do it!“I've played that position and when you play against a special player you have to edge over, if the touch is off you need to get out close and harass him, you can't drift. He just ambled, Yoro, which was a big mistake.”Neville added on his Sky Sports podcast when delivering his verdict on United as a collective: “I thought it was a really good performance, but the details of the two goals have cost them. Now that's going to continue to happen whilst they don't have the likes of Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt, and they don't have players that would make them a lot stronger.“What I have seen in these last two games is a couple of things. One, the manager has changed. Quite obviously, the system that he said he would never change, the five or the three [at the back], the two in midfield, the two wing backs and the three up front, that has been thrown out of the window in the last two matches. That's a good thing.“I'm happy that the manager is adapting to what's happening out there because of what's happening with AFCON, but also I think there's an element where he couldn't carry on as we saw against West Ham and Everton at home.“More of that would find the manager in a lot of trouble - more of what we've seen between Bournemouth and Villa is going to find the manager in a job, and will allow him to build something, because you can build off what you've seen here.“Manchester United can still finish in the top five and they've missed three or four opportunities in the last three weeks to do that, but if they can get those players back from AFCON and they can stay fit, they can do something.”Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingUnited have won just two of their last eight Premier League fixtures, but remain seventh in the table - three points adrift of the top five. They will be back in action on Friday when welcoming Newcastle to Old Trafford.
Roy Keane's Harsh Critique
After the match, Roy Keane did not hold back in his assessment of Manchester United's performance. He criticized the team for their lack of effort and commitment, particularly highlighting Yoro's role in failing to stop Rogers from scoring. Keane emphasized the importance of players doing the 'ugly bits' of football, such as defending and putting in the hard work for the team.
Gary Neville's Analysis
Gary Neville echoed Keane's sentiments, pointing out Yoro's defensive lapses that led to Rogers' goals. Neville emphasized the importance of defending against special players like Rogers and criticized Yoro for not closing him down quickly enough. Neville also discussed the tactical changes made by the manager and the need for stronger players in the squad to improve United's performances.
Manchester United's Current Form
Despite their recent struggles, Manchester United still have the potential to finish in the top five of the Premier League. Neville highlighted missed opportunities and the impact of key players being absent due to the AFCON. He acknowledged the need for improvement in defense and efficiency in front of goal to turn their season around.






