One of the dominant jokes of the new Premier League season has been Manchester United's defensive line, or rather, its complete absence. A strange transfer policy by INEOS, which allowed the club to strengthen just one position throughout the summer window, has led to some absurd statistics: the Red Devils' defence still relies on the same players who featured in Erik ten Hag's first match last August.
Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw remain unchanged. Often hopelessly poor, yet ever-present.
In stark contrast, another club in the Premier League has successfully combined similar ghosts of Manchester United's past with its own experienced veterans. Unai Emery has built his team's spine on these spare parts far more competently than anyone at Old Trafford could dare to dream.
Formally, Aston Villa and Manchester United sit close to each other on the league table, separated by just a point. But that's just a façade. In terms of playing momentum, the Birmingham side has found what the Mancunians have struggled to grasp for years.
Repurposing Manchester's 'waste'
United remain one of only two teams in the league yet to keep a clean sheet this season. Villa, having stumbled at the start with three goalless draws and four matches without a win, have since turned things around, securing four victories from their last five games, including a resilient Champions League campaign.
A crucial away victory against Newcastle (1-0) brought the Birmingham side as much joy as their thumping 6-0 win over Fenerbahce in European competition. The best defensive performance of the campaign came from a backline featuring a player signed from the Championship (Matty Cash), a veteran from Nottingham Forest (Tyrone Mings), and two players discarded by Manchester United (Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Viktor Lindelof).
"He's a fantastic guy and an incredible professional," said Emery of Lindelof, a free agent who seamlessly stepped in for the injured Ezri Konsa, valued at £55 million.
Generations of United managers have failed to make these components work together, but Emery has repurposed costly scraps from the Glazer era into something reliable and effective. Villa's success underlines that it's not just about the defence, but a team structure where players are taught to play football, rather than being used as excuses for their team's failures.
