Crisis at Manchester United. Erik ten Hag has deployed his tenth centre backs duo this season

In the match against West Ham, the chief tactician of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, deployed an exceedingly experimental defensive duo. Teaming up with the vastly experienced Johnny Evans was the 19-year-old Willy Kambwala.

This marks the tenth central defensive pairing that the Dutch coach has fielded in the current season, owing to the persistent injuries plaguing the primary defenders. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof are all absent from the lineup, even missing inclusion in the matchday squad.

Kambwala, a product of the academy of French club Sochaux, made the transition to Manchester United in the autumn of 2020 for a fee of 4 million euros. Prior to this, he had only featured for the youth team in domestic competitions and the UEFA Youth League.

Previously, Manchester United found themselves among the clubs at the forefront opposing the establishment of the proposed Super League. The "Red Devils," before their encounter with West Ham, occupied the seventh position in the English Premier League, having already been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the group stage.