United Retain Faith In Young Players

Manchester United have a long and proud history of building teams from homegrown players. Indeed, at least one graduate from the club's famed Academy has featured in every first-team squad since 1937, and 2015/16 was no different.

Jesse Lingard’s superb winning goal in the FA Cup final last month was a fitting way to end a season characterised by a new crop of young talent now permeating United’s senior team. During his final season at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal handed debuts to seven youngsters (Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Donald Love, Joe Riley, Marcus Rashford, Regan Poole, Tim Fosu-Mensah and James Weir), and also fielded a further seven Academy products who had made their bows in previous campaigns.

Between them, this new generation of Reds amassed 121 appearances, 76 starts and 16 goals, adding further proof to the argument that you should always back your own. Of those 16 strikes, 14 of them were contributed by the two standout players from this crop – Rashford and Lingard.

Both players have played a huge part in United’s campaign, shouldering responsibility usually afforded to players of much greater experience. Jesse’s expert strikes against Chelsea and, of course, in the cup final against Palace will live long in the memory, but it is Rashford’s season that truly epitomises the United ethos.

Starting the season plying his trade for the Under-18s, the Manchester-born forward worked his way into the Under-21s before a pre-match injury to Anthony Martial ahead of the Europa League clash with Midtjylland thrust the youngster into the spotlight. Where he could have buckled under the pressure, Rashford thrived, netting a brace against both the Danish side and also in the following Barclays Premier League match with Arsenal.

He wasn’t finished there, either. After helping United to reach Wembley, by scoring a sumptuous arced effort against West Ham United in the FA Cup quarter-final, Rashford finished the campaign as a cup winner. He then made his senior England debut – bagging a third-minute debut goal to boot – and signed a new deal at Old Trafford, before being selected in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2016. A whirlwind few months.

Don’t be fooled into thinking these two examples of local talent are the only players to have caught the eye, though. Borthwick-Jackson – who joined Rashford in signing a new contract last week – displayed composure at left-back that belied his young years. Those from further afield impressed, too, with Dutchman Tim Fosu-Mensah putting in a number of powerful displays at both right-back and centre-back to suggest he is another one to watch in the coming years.

Evidently, Sir Matt Busby’s age-old adage of 'if you’re good enough, you’re old enough' still rings true at Old Trafford.