Adnan Januzaj: United's sole shining star in a stuttering season

Januzaj: The boy with a very bright future ahead

In a season that has had a ton of lows interspersed with a few highs, Adnan Januzaj has certainly been one of the few bright sparks in an for Manchester United. Having impressed in the United youth side that won the U-21 Premier League last season, Januzaj was seen as one for the future. And thankfully, for United, his time has come sooner, rather than later.

The Belgian teenager, celebrates his 19^th birthday today, which he shares with illustrious company such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. On the evidence of the season so far, it looks as though he might one day join their ranks. After almost playing a part in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game in charge of Manchester United, Januzaj finally got his chance this season.

And to be fair to him, he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. The Belgian has gone onto establish himself as one of the mainstays of the current United lineup, which was, until Mata’s arrival, looking increasingly short on attacking talent thanks to injuries and suspensions. In a season in which the supporters haven’t had much to rejoice about, Januzaj has given them some hope. Hope that the future of Manchester United isn’t as gloomy as the present.

After impressing in pre-season, Moyes trusted the young Belgian enough to hand him a substitute appearance in the game against Crystal Palace on 14 September, 2013. On his debut League appearance, Januzaj showed glimpses of his talent, as his direct running and close control bore a striking resemblance to a certain United legend, who made his debut on the same day, 50 years ago, and went by the name of George Best.

On his first League start, Januzaj went one better, in fact, two better by scoring two goals and helping United beat Sunderland on 5 October, 2013. With his two stunning goals, Januzaj announced himself and showed the world what everyone inside the club already knew. Least of all, the previous manager, Sir Alex Ferguson who went onto describe him as a “beautifully balanced player”, who “has good balance, good acceleration and is a very good technical player.”

Just a couple of games later, in a home game against Stoke City, after coming on for the in-effective Nani, at the hour mark, Januzaj, made all the difference. The Belgian provided some much needed incision to the United attack and gave the Potters defense a tough time, as he helped inspire a 3-2 comeback win.

Whilst his performances have only gone upwards since then, a worrying trend also seems to be emerging. On more than one occasion, the Belgian has been punished for simulation and has already accumulated three bookings for just that. By the looks of it, his fragile frame is coming back to bite him, as he has been going down far too easily. But, having said that, that is one small flaw amidst a plethora of positive things.

For all of his flaws, just like Sir Alex did with Ryan Giggs, Moyes took a chance and was richly rewarded for it. And just like Giggs, Moyes has, at his disposal, a supremely talented winger, who moves with an elegance and poise that would put ballet dancers to shame. And with Giggs to show him the ropes, it certainly looks as though Januzaj has the perfect role model to look up to.

Just 19, Januzaj already has the world at his feet. For such a young man, he has exhibited maturity that belies his age. In an interview with the club’s official website, he said that whilst he was pleased with his year, the best is yet to come. The Belgian said, “I am quite pleased with my year, I have done a lot of work and have been integrating into the first team.” He also added that while he has played a lot of games, “There is more to come. I hope to win trophies at this club and be the best player.”

High on confidence and on raw talent, the Belgian teenager has all the makings of a future United legend. All he has to do is knuckle down and keep doing everything that got him here.