Young Reds Duo Have Done Well

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is happy with the way Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Guillermo Varela have made the step up to first-team football in recent weeks.

Teenage defender Borthwick-Jackson made his debut against West Bromwich Albion in November and Uruguayan right-back Varela followed suit against West Ham United earlier this month, with neither player fazed by playing in the Barclays Premier League.

The duo have helped assuage the injury situation with no fewer than seven senior defenders - Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Matteo Darmian, Paddy McNair, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia - all having spent time on the sidelines.

Van Gaal has been pleased by Varela and Borthwick-Jackson's displays but feels the inevitable inconsistency of inexperienced players illustrates why he cannot rely too heavily on youth.

The boss told reporters: "This was a decision at the beginning of this season that was a strategy. Manchester United is a club that wants to give chances to youth players.

"But when you hold a selection of 35-40 players then you cannot give any chance to a youngster because you have to manage that selection and give also chances to the older players. This is why we have sold a lot of players and sent a lot of players on loan.

"Then, when you have injuries like we do now, you have seen that Varela has done well against Wolfsburg and Borthwick-Jackson has done well in his first two substitute [appearances]. He did well in the first half against Bournemouth, the second less, but that is because he is a youngster and you have to accept that.

"You are in need when you have to use too many youngsters and we have reached that point now. I can analyse the situation and, when you close your eyes to that, you are not favourable to that strategy anymore."

Van Gaal also confirmed United have the option to recall striker James Wilson from his loan spell at Championship high-fliers Brighton & Hove Albion if required.

"We have sent him to Brighton because he needs match rhythm and he has to show his qualities," the manager said. "We have extended his contract because of his qualities and we believe in him. Now he is there and he shows his qualities, but that is on a lower level.

"If we are in trouble we can recall him and that is why we have done it. It is a matter of a decision at a time that maybe comes, but maybe not."