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Manchester United got dominated by Liverpool in their Premier League game at Old Trafford on Sunday but ended up taking a surprise second-half lead which they ultimately relinquished late on yet again.
It was the visitors who started on the front foot and took the lead through Luis Diaz and the first half was another clear example as to why Erik ten Hag’s style does not work.
The Merseysiders ran through the non-existent United midfield at will and had 28 shots as compared to United’s nine and dominated the ball as seen from their 68 percent possession.
Individual brilliance saw Bruno Fernandes chip the keeper from near the halfway line while Kobbie Mainoo curled in a screamer from the edge of the box to hand the hosts an undeserved lead.
Kambwala’s impressive showing
Aaron Wan-Bissaka then gave away a penalty late on which Mohamed Salah scored from but the performance from United left a lot to be desired.
Jurgen Klopp’s men could have scored a lot more if not for some fine last-ditch defending from Willy Kambwala and the United academy graduate earned a lot of praise from his manager and pundits alike.
This was just his second start in the English top-flight and yet the 19-year-old displayed maturity beyond his years and his recovery pace impressed one and all and it seems like the perfect attribute to have when trying to play in a high-transition system.
Now as per HITC, the Red Devils have been so impressed with the Frenchman that they are set to offer him a new contract in a bid to avoid any late hassle as seen from the club’s discussions over a new deal for Omari Forson.
New deal on the anvil
Kambwala, for his part, has always revealed his love for the club and his enthusiasm and skills deserve to be rewarded. His current deal is valid until 2025.
This is a great turnaround for a player whose early United academy career was ruined by injuries but the player has fought back to remind everyone why the club brought him to Manchester from FC Sochaux for €4 million back in 2020.
“The 19-year-old has impressed United’s coaches and HITC is told that they have made it known to the club’s hierarchy that they should prioritise a new deal for Kambwala.
“Sources with knowledge of the situation have told HITC that Kambwala is ‘very happy’ at Old Trafford and is delighted to be fully integrated into the first-team squad, as he has been for most of this season.
“Kambwala’s current deal is due to expire in 2025 and the club are ready to offer him a long-term deal. United are set to work on Kambwala as they hope to avoid the same issues they are currently experiencing with his friend Forson.”
Interestingly, despite this development, United are known to be prioritising a new centre-back in the summer with Raphael Varane set to be released while the futures of quite a few other defenders remain in the balance.
Kambwala reaping rewards
If new recruits come in, the former France U16 international might find chances hard to come by and hence a loan exit could be on the cards.
But Football Insider have rubbished those claims and added that the club are looking to integrate him fully into the first-team squad and he is set to become an important player next season.
“A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Red Devils chiefs feel he has “huge” potential after breaking into the first-team setup this season. Sources say the defender is set to be involved more regularly next season.”
The 6.3ft star can also double up as a right-back if needed and his versatility is another factor going for him. The youngster just needs to keep his feet firmly on the ground and keep working hard.
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