Eric Bailly in action for Man United. (Getty Images)
Manchester United haven’t had the best of starts to their Premier League campaign this season. Even though Jose Mourinho has steadied the ship with two back-to-back wins against Burnley and Watford, their centre-back woes continue to haunt them.
One of the main culprits behind the shock loss to Brighton & Hove Albion was Eric Bailly. He was at fault for two of the goals United conceded in that game.
But since then, Bailly has just made two appearances for the club, coming on as a late substitute on both occasions. According to a report by The Sun, Bailly is unhappy with this situation and Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Ivory Coast international. But this doesn’t make any sense at all.
Eric Bailly, who arrived at Manchester United for a fee of £30m in 2016, was Mourinho’s first signing for the club. A few untimely injuries have halted his momentum but he still remains United’s best centre-back right now. His tackling and interception abilities are second to none and his pace and aerial prowess make him an ideal defender for a league as physical as the English top-flight.
In his two years at the club so far, Bailly has started 37 Premier League games. In that time, he has recorded 86 interceptions, completed 56 tackles and racked up 188 clearances. He is quite comfortable with the ball at his feet and often drifts into the midfield to thread a neat pass or two to one of his attackers. In fact, his pass success rate of over 85 per cent further proves this point.
But the fact is, Bailly is still 24 and has a lot to learn. He often rushes into challenges too quickly, leaving him with a high risk of getting booked. It was his mistimed sliding tackle that gave away the penalty via which Pascal Gross scored Brighton’s third goal.
United must strengthen their backline as soon as possible. But at the same time, they must do everything to retain Bailly’s services since he is one of their star defenders.
As far as the player is concerned, he must be patient since the Champions League and League Cup matches would provide him with ample opportunities to make an impact. Moreover, Mourinho is one the best defensive managers in the world and with time, Bailly could mature into a top centre-back, who may become a key figure for the Red Devils in the future.
