£33m United star has won joint-most aerials (17) in PL alongside Van Dijk, answering his critics
Manchester United star Matthijs de Ligt has won the joint-most aerial duels in the Premier League this season alongside Liverpool ace Virgil van Dijk.
The Netherlands international had a mixed debut campaign with the Red Devils, and there were some games where he struggled with his defending.
However, the Dutchman has made a vast improvement in the 2025/26 season. De Ligt has been solid in the middle of the back three for Man United.
He has got the nod over the more experienced Harry Maguire, and Squawka have now provided a key statistic, where he has been truly consistent so far.
The former Bayern Munich man has won the joint-most number of aerials (17) alongside Van Dijk.
Van Dijk is widely considered the best central defender in the Premier League, and De Ligt has been as good as his compatriot in aerial challenges.
The £33 million-rated star has developed into one of United’s best central defenders. He and Leny Yoro have been brilliant in the heart of the backline for the Red Devils this campaign.
De Ligt has made the occasional positional error, such as the one against Burnley last weekend, but overall, he is starting to live up to his early potential at United.
The onus is now on maintaining consistency and earning clean sheets, which is essential for the club to climb up the table and qualify for Champions League football.
United were the better side against Arsenal last month but ended up losing 1-0. They face a stern challenge after the international break, with Manchester City and Chelsea to face.
If the Red Devils can secure at least four points from those games, it would provide the perfect platform to gain confidence and momentum for the league season ahead.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Article written by Sri Aswin .