Manchester United Need Eric Bailly More Than Ever This Season

LUTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Eric Bailly of Manchester United is closed down by George Moncur of … [+] Luton Town during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Luton Town and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road on September 22, 2020 in Luton, England. Sporting Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors (Photo by Nick Potts – Pool/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Eric Bailly completed his first full 90 minutes this season for Manchester United and received an overwhelmingly deserved amount of adulation. While it might have only been against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup, Bailly showed the type of central defender that the Red Devils are currently missing – one who can prevent transitions taking place.

Harry Maguire, signed from Leicester City in 2019 for a world-record fee of £80 million paid for a defender, is usually partnered alongside Victor Lindelöf; but the pair have come under a wrath of criticism due to their inability to halt quick counter-attacking teams.

The Ivory Coast international has shown, when fit, that he has the innate attributes needed to compete at the highest level, but luck has not been on his side since joining Man United from Villarreal in 2016.

Incessant transfer talk continues to ramble on and will do so until October 5, with the centre back position under the microscope by fans and media alike, given their precarious start to the season in a defeat to Crystal Palace.

In that Premier League match, once again, it highlighted the club’s need for an extremely quick and agile defender – one in which will recover quickly and have the speed to catch up with forward.

Bailly has received criticism of his own, however, with many suggesting that he is a liability in defence and cannot be trusted with a run of games. Coupled up with his long list of injuries in four years, it is no surprise to see that he has failed to make an extended period in the first team count.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace is challenged by Harry Maguire … [+] of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on September 19, 2020 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images )

Getty Images

However, with the priority in the transfer window firmly set on securing a left back and a right winger, funds will be limited for a new centre back this summer. Unless one appears out of nowhere in a perfectly sized deal that the club can capitalise on (which remains more than unlikely), plans to improve in this area of the pitch will be postponed until 2021.

And so, it is the perfect opportunity for Bailly to go and seize with both hands. After his stellar performance against Luton in the Cup, the Ivorian should be given the chance to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Premier League and partner Maguire.

With the Englishman’s experience and ball-playing abilities alongside Bailly, who is more of a no-nonsense defender with the speed of turn needed, the two can form a partnership that can, at the very least, plaster over their defensive frailties.

It is a big season for Bailly in terms of what his future holds next summer with two years left on his current contract, and therefore needs to remain in peak physical condition. There is no doubt that he would be an undisputed starter and replace Lindelöf in the side should he prove to the coaches that he is over the hill with his injury problems.

Time will tell whether Bailly can take this opportunity, but for Manchester United’s sake, over a 60 game season, they need the Ivorian now more than ever.