Tuanzebe's Dream Comes True

Axel Tuanzebe has described making his Manchester United debut as a "dream come true", as the centre-back is now determined to keep his place in the first-team squad.

The young defender - who was recently called up by Jose Mourinho after impressive performances in the Reserves - made his first senior competitive appearance during Sunday's 4-0 victory over Wigan in the Emirates FA Cup, replacing Tim Fosu-Mensah with 23 minutes remaining at Old Trafford.

Speaking exclusively to MUTV after the game, Tuanzebe says that making his bow was an unforgettable experience, and made it clear he wants to grab his opportunity with both hands.

"It was crazy," he said. "I’ve been thinking about this since I was a little boy and now it’s come true, I can’t really believe it’s happened. Me and my family are very proud, but now it’s just about getting back to the training ground and going again. If I’m with the Under-23s, I’m with the Under-23s, but I’ll stay humble and keep working hard to get another opportunity to play again.

"You don’t look back. A coach of ours was saying that the hardest part is staying in [the squad], so I’ll have to get back to the training ground and keep grinding every day."

There was a touching moment on the sidelines as Tuanzebe hugged Mourinho and shook hands with Wigan boss Warren Joyce, the man who had mentored him in the Reserves, before taking to the pitch.

He added: “I was on the touchline and I could hear Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] saying ‘keep it simple, keep it simple’, so I wanted to follow his advice. I was just waiting for my moment and it finally came. It’s good to have Warren there too, you know. I grew up with him and for him to see me play is also an honour.

“After you start playing, you just concentrate on your own game. You get a feel for it, get a couple of touches of the ball. The older lads were constantly talking to me, Ander [Herrera] came on in midfield and was constantly talking to me and giving me advice. It’s good to have that support from experienced first-team players, it drives you on as a youngster and there’s no better feeling."