POINT DEDUCTION!: Leicester City rises in the Premier League standings as Manchester United faces point deduction.

After playing a dull goalless draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday,

Manchester United lost ground once more.

Erik ten Hag substituted Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans for Matthijs de Ligt and

Lisandro Martinez at centre back.

Although it came as a big surprise, Evans’s 7/10 performance allowed United to salvage a point.

“We had to make it tight today and not try to give them too much space,

and I think we did that well,” he said to Sky Sports. We won a point away from

home against a strong team.

“We needed to play better defensively the previous night after giving up three

goals (against Porto) to give ourselves a chance. We were searching for that one perfect moment,

possibly over the counter, and we almost found it.

“I still feel as though I’m playing the same game I always have, and I still have the

quickness in my legs to get me through difficult situations. I’d play in this one,

Ten Hag informed me the other night after the game.

After leading 2-0 in the first twenty minutes of the match, United let FC Porto

back into the contest. Just after the break, Porto made it 3-2, shocking Ten Hag and his team.

Harry Maguire’s goal in injury time enabled United to salvage a draw.

Martinez and De Ligt were awful at the back. They committed simple mistakes and lost duels,

which gave the hosts the opportunity to score goals.

Martinez’s benching was an unexpected decision, as many had anticipated that

Maguire would start before De Ligt.

Evans did enough to merit a more regular spot in the starting lineup, and his

performance supported the decision.