Willy Kambwala has rightfully earned high praise after making just his second senior start for Manchester United.
The 19-year-old has been called upon numerous times to deputise amid this season’s debilitating injury crisis, firstly against West Ham United in December 2023, with his maiden start marking his first-ever first-team appearance.
Since then, Kambwala has been granted six off-the-bench appearances to further gain experience in the top flight, as well as in the FA Cup.
In the absence of experienced centre-halves Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, the teenager returned to the starting 11 for Sunday’s clash with Liverpool, who, at the time, were the league’s leaders.
He went on to display a mature, spirited shift alongside Harry Maguire in the backline, showing his outstanding resilience and pace when up against Liverpool’s relentless attackers.
It was a performance that would have undoubtedly seen Kambwala rank higher in Erik ten Hag’s estimations, which could prove crucial over the summer when the club are expected to see out a defensive overhaul.
Premier League forward lauds Kambwala
Andros Townsend had also been keeping tabs on the evening’s affairs at Old Trafford and cherry-picked the young Frenchman as a standout performer.
“With Man United, they’ve bought a lot of attackers under Ten Hag,” the Luton Town frontman began on The Monday Night Club. “Have they really got the personnel in defence that they want?
“The young guy, the 19-year-old [Kambwala], I can’t remember his name. He was brilliant. He was exactly the profile that I think Ten Hag’s looking for. It was the first time I saw him yesterday. He was very good.”
More must-reads: