At the start of the season, Amorim had to choose between De Ligt and Harry Maguire to play at the heart of the team's back three. De Ligt won out, and he has been the team's best defender since. Both De Ligt and Maguire have similar profiles, taking on the dirty work that allows the other players to shine. Neither is particularly quick, but they can turn on the afterburners when necessary.
Amorim has opted to play De Ligt on the right of the back-three in some games, where his job is to stifle opposition attacks rather than start his own. De Ligt has also popped up with a goal in the 96th minute, showing his ability to contribute to the team's attack.
Last season, De Ligt was a victim of the team's uncertainty, with Lisandro Martinez's ACL injury and other fitness issues affecting the team's performance. However, things seem to be looking up now, with De Ligt and Luke Shaw starting all of the team's 11 Premier League games.
De Ligt's numbers are looking solid, with the highest number of clearances per 90 minutes at 5.4 and the second highest number of blocks per 90 at 0.5. He has also successfully made 18 tackles, won 62 duels, 40 aerial duels, and made 13 interceptions. Opposition attackers are having a tough time getting past him.
Perhaps the most important aspect of De Ligt's game is his ability to avoid giving away fouls. Despite his high number of tackles, he has only committed five fouls and is yet to pick up a single card.
Amorim is a big fan of De Ligt, but continues to push him to show more quality on the ball. "He is doing really well, really aggressive, is defending well," Amorim said. "He has more quality with the ball than he is showing. He is still in the point of not wanting to make mistakes with the ball. That is a smart thing for a player."
Overall, Manchester United is not as dysfunctional as many may think. Good results against top sides like Chelsea and Liverpool have become a foundation, and De Ligt's consistency is providing the team with something to build upon. He is starting to live up to the hype he earned during his time as a teenager at Ajax.
