Ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit has explained why he thinks Manchester United star Leny Yoro “would be thriving” if he played for Liverpool.

Man Utd fended off competition from several sides across Europe to sign Yoro for around £52m during the 2024 summer transfer window.

This was considered a major coup because 20-year-old Yoro has long been earmarked as a future star of world football, though he has had a difficult first couple of years at Old Trafford.

Yoro still has a long way to go if he is to reach his full potential, though he has arguably been held back by the ongoing chaos at Man Utd.

“If Leny Yoro was playing for Liverpool, would it be different?”

And Petit has blamed captain Bruno Fernandes for Yoro’s issues, and he has claimed that he would be better off at Liverpool.

“They’re two players facing two different situations,” Petit told Betfred.

“Jeremy Jacquet has been brilliant so far for Liverpool and it was the same during the international break because he impressed a lot, honestly. Everything is good for him, he’s full of confidence and you can see that.

“For Leny Yoro it’s different. He’s had spells when he’s injured and sometimes he’s playing at right-back and sometimes he’s playing at centre-back.

“When you look at the lack of stability of the club he’s playing for and the lack of confidence around the group, is it Leny Yoro’s responsibility to raise his level when you see other players who are also not playing at a high level?

“There are leaders missing at Manchester United. I don’t like Bruno Fernandes body language. I’ve not liked it this season and I didn’t like it last season.

“This year’s started very slowly for Manchester United and Leny Yoro can’t solve all the problems at the club. Both Yoro and Jacquet are playing in two completely different situations.

“If Jacquet was at Manchester United would it be the same in terms of his form? If Leny Yoro was playing for Liverpool would it be different? I think it definitely would be and he would be thriving as well.”

Still, Yoro impressed at the weekend against Leeds United and club legend Rio Ferdinand thinks he now “needs to stay in the team”.

“I thought Leny Yoro, especially in the first half, defending the back post was top drawer,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.

“He looks like he’s growing in confidence and he looks like he just needs a run in the team now. I don’t know what position he’ll make his own first but he will go I just have to be in this team.

“If he just continues playing the way he is and continues to get games, I don’t care who gets back fit now, I think he needs to stay in the team, prove his worth.

“I think every week he looks stronger, I thought in Madrid he looked solid, the game before for France he was outstanding at centre-back and he comes back with a new-found confidence and I think that’s good for Manchester United.

“The way he defended those crosses at the back post and in those away games you’ve got to have people willing to put their bodies there and I thought today in that sense especially he was top class.”