Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek earned a rare start against West Ham in the Carabao Cup last night, but he was immediately caught out on Manuel Lanzini’s early goal, which proved to be the winner.
Van de Beek didn’t keep a close enough eye on the Hammers midfielder as he broke into the box to get on the end of the cross, with former Man Utd Women manager Casey Stoney singling out the Dutchman for letting his concentration drop at this crucial moment.
Many Red Devils fans will be keen to see more of Van de Beek as it certainly seems he hasn’t been given a fair chance since moving to Old Trafford, though moments like this perhaps provide some insight into why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn’t seem to fancy him…
Van de Beek is perhaps not primarily a defensive midfielder, but the screen grab above shows that he’s too easily drawn to the ball, and it proved costly for United, who are now out of a competition they could have done with winning.
“He’s got drawn to the ball, he’s had his eyes on the ball and he’s not checked his shoulder,” Stoney told Sky Sports, as quoted by the Metro.
“There is only one ball being played from the byline and that is the cutback.
“That is the danger. You have got to stay on your player and make sure you are in a position to defend it.”
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