Ferdinand urges Carrick to start teenage defender Heaven as United leak two goals a game

Rio Ferdinand has publicly urged Manchester United manager Michael Carrick to start teenage centre-back Ayden Heaven, insisting the 19-year-old is already good enough to feature regularly after United’s 2-2 draw with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium left them without a clean sheet in any of their first three Premier League fixtures.

Heaven joined United from Arsenal in February last year in a deal worth up to £1.5 million and impressed during his debut campaign, but has made only one appearance so far this season — a brief outing against Hull City on the opening day. He was again passed over against Everton on Sunday, with Leny Yoro preferred as a late substitute.

Speaking on his Rio Presents YouTube channel, Ferdinand drew a direct comparison between Heaven and Yoro and questioned why neither young defender is being used more consistently. “Yoro I thought he would be a bit further ahead than he is now — he’s taken a little bit longer to push up that ceiling and fulfil that potential,” Ferdinand said. “I think it’s still going to come, but I think it’s been slower than anticipated, 100%.”

On Heaven specifically, Ferdinand was unequivocal. “Heaven, I think he could play now, but the manager’s making a choice and decision and he wants to go with what he’s got. But I would always have one of those two in the backline just for pace at this level, 100%.”

Ferdinand also noted that United currently have five centre-backs in the building, with Mathijs de Ligt unavailable through injury adding further pressure on the remaining options to perform.

The defensive frailty has not gone unnoticed elsewhere. Gary Neville highlighted the same concern, warning that conceding two goals per game is an unsustainable pattern. “Manchester United are conceding two goals a game. From a United perspective you cannot concede two goals a game,” Neville said. “This liability of conceding goals, I don’t think it’s going to go away — I think conceding goals is going to chase them and hunt them down the road.”

With United yet to register a clean sheet and their defensive options stretched by injury, Ferdinand’s call for Heaven to be given an extended run in the side is likely to grow louder if results do not improve.