Victor Lindelof’s impressive showing during Manchester United’s 4-2 victory over Watford on Tuesday evening caught the eye of his manager Jose Mourinho.
The Reds survived a late scare to pick up all three points against Watford, with Ashley Young, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard netting the goals.
However, it was Lindelof who was lauded for his defensive display in a three-man defence alongside Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo.
Mourinho praised the Swedish defender for keeping the Hornet’s star man Richarlison quiet at Vicarage Road, while he spoke of Lindelof’s ability at adapting to a change in formation.
"I think Richarlison is a very good player and a difficult player to play against but Victor is very fast," Mourinho told MUTV.
"He has adapted to play centrally but also to go to the sides because he's got the agility that many of the central defenders don't have. I think it was another very positive performance by Victor."
The 23-year-old has had to remain patient for regular playing time at Old Trafford since his arrival from Benfica in the summer, with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones forming a strong partnership at the back before they both picked up injuries.
Although, Lindelof has started United’s last three league matches against Watford, Brighton and Newcastle in the absence of Bailly and Jones, with Mourinho’s men tasting victory in those games as they look to close the eight-point gap on league leaders Manchester City.
Next up for United is Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday before the highly anticipated Manchester derby at Old Trafford the following week.
In between those two fixtures, the Reds face CSKA Moscow in the Champions League with a single point enough to secure top spot in Group A and a place in the Knockout phase. The Swede’s run of form should see him retain his place at the Emirates as he looks to test himself against the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
