United’s FA Cup elimination to Fulham earlier this month was another tough moment in a difficult season. But amid the disappointment, thousands of fans were still moved to find time to praise the individual performance of Matthijs de Ligt.
The Dutchman’s effort against the Cottagers was simply immense, from a mental and physical standpoint, and continued the 25-year-old’s quiet rise since the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
Against Real Sociedad last Thursday, and Arsenal on Sunday, it was the same again: two challenging contests for the team to negotiate, during which De Ligt opened the shoulders and gave it everything.