Manchester United's Eric Bailly Was 'Nervous' in Return from Injury vs. Chelsea

Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has said he was "nervous" before making his return to the team on Monday against Chelsea.

The Red Devils produced a fine defensive display to get the better of Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, keeping their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League alive. Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire were on target for United.

However, for many, Bailly was the star man for the Red Devils. The centre-back made a number of crucial interventions to deny the Chelsea forwards. He admitted he was a little edgy before making his first start since April, per James Westwood of Goal:

"It's not easy when you don't play for so long. But it only gets easier by playing games. I have been telling the manager that I want to play. I've been working hard after a bad, long, injury.

"I've been ready to play for a week and told the manager that. I took a few minutes to settle when the game started. I was nervous if I'm honest after so long away because it was almost a year when I was injured against Chelsea, but then things went OK. I felt the support from my team-mates and my manager which is important."

Bailly's standout moment came in the second half, when he was able to make up a lot of ground to block Mateo Kovacic's goalbound effort:

Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, the display was reminiscent of the 25-year-old's early days at United, when he was able to excel:

Bailly looked as though he was going to be a fantastic signing for United when he joined in the summer of 2016. However, his stock has fallen drastically since then.

A number of injury issues saw the Ivory Coast international lose his place in the team, and when he has been given opportunities since, the defender has failed to take them. The 10-month layoff as a result of a knee ligament issue cast further doubts over his long-term future at United.

However, Monday night was a reminder of what Bailly can do when he's at his best. Daniel Harris of the Guardian believes Bailly is a natural partner for Maguire:

SB Nation's Zito Madu also praised the defender, commenting on his ability to rescue United from difficult situations:

The key for Bailly is consistent form and fitness. He has likely earned another chance in defence for the Red Devils; a more appropriate judge of his position at the club will be possible after a few more matches.

The Red Devils are in action in the UEFA Europa League at Club Brugge on Thursday and then host Watford in the Premier League on Sunday. Bailly will surely get an opportunity in one of those games, and it's imperative he backs up his efforts when he does take to the field again.