McNair Earns His First-team Stripes

With seven minutes remaining in Manchester United's clash with West Ham at Old Trafford on Saturday and the Hammers knocking on the door in search of an equaliser, Carl Jenkinson swung over the most dangerous of crosses with Carlton Cole and Enner Valencia attempting to pounce.

Paddy McNair was in the eye of the storm. The 19-year-old, thrust into the spotlight due to an injury list that includes Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, was facing the sort of examination everybody anticipated as Sam Allardyce's team loaded the box with players. To say the boy from Ballyclare's response was ice cool would be the master of the understatement. The rookie, who joined the club as a no.10 and is still a novice in centre-back terms, dived to meet the trajectory of the cross and angled a header intelligently away from goal to prevent a certain leveller for Valencia.

It was the undoubted highlight of an assured first 90 minutes from McNair, who was quickly into his stride and looked undaunted despite playing alongside Marcos Rojo in the Argentinian's first game in the middle. Luke Shaw, another teenager, was making his debut at left-back but the defence performed resolutely, aside from conceding a goal to Diafro Sakho following a corner.

McNair can be pleased with his debut which marked his rapid progress at the club. He only made his debut for the Under-21s as recently as last February, at Leicester City, and that was as an injury-time substitute. His first start at that level came in the 3-0 win against Molineux on 10 March. The fact that he has now made his senior bow, the sixth of Louis van Gaal's debutants from the Academy, with a seventh following in Tom Thorpe late on against the Hammers, illustrates how quickly things can happen in football.

"He played very well," the manager said of the defender in an interview with MUTV. "I could have imagined a performance like this before the match because he’s a very good player. Mostly, players like this have good debuts. I’m very pleased for him that we won, because he played very well and his goal-saving header in the second half was fantastic. He was also very good with the ball at his feet."

His team-mates were equally praiseworthy of McNair's efforts and he will reflect on an afternoon's work well done when sitting in front of Match of the Day this evening. "Paddy did great," enthused van Persie. "I know how hard it is to make your debut. I made mine in Holland for Feyenoord and he made his for Manchester United in front of 75,000 people, at home, in a difficult period. He did really well on the ball. His decision-making was great and defensively he stood up well. It was great for him."

Rafael, the other member of the new-look back four, described him as "one to watch" and felt his performance was "brilliant". "He played very well, he played some fantastic football and everyone is really pleased with him," revealed the Brazilian. "He should keep working hard because he has a big future."

For a club and manager that continues to invest faith in youth, the future is looking bright for both United and McNair after such an important win in trying circumstances.