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Manchester United have made a decent start to the season with a 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea and a 1-1 draw against Wolves in the Premier League. The latter game was a disappointing one since they only managed two shots on target despite holding the majority of possession.
Their manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielded very young starting line-ups in both games. The one against Chelsea, with an average age of 24 years and 227 days, was the youngest ever side to be fielded in an opening Premier League match. This proves Solskjaer’s willingness to incorporate youngsters and players from the youth academy.
The youth graduates Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood are highly rated by the United hierarchy and fans. Let us look at how these three players can make an impact for Manchester United in the 2019/20 season.
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#1 Angel Gomes
Angel Gomes has shot up through the ranks at United. At the tender age of 14, he made his debut for the under-18 side. Towards the end of the 2017-18 season, he made his senior debut against Crystal Palace. He was only 16 at the time and was the first player born in the new millennium to appear in the Premier League. Since then, he has made three further appearances for the club.
Gomes had an impressive pre-season campaign, playing in all games, bar one, on the left hand side or centrally, interchanging with the attacking players alongside him.
Many attributes stood out in the young man, such as his excellent ball control and agility, which allowed him to skid past opponents comfortably. His determination to retain the ball after his side lost possession was telling of his maturity despite being only 18 years old.
He scored his first goal for the club in a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur, after a quick exchange between him and Juan Mata put him close to the byline and through on goal. He slotted the ball into the bottom right corner from a tight angle in the 80th minute, which turned out to be the winner for United.
Gomes could be a good alternative to Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata in the central-attacking midfield role if they suffer a dip in form. Lingard was particularly criticised after the match against Wolves because of his lack of creativity. Gomes could be the solution to this.
#2 Tahith Chong
Tahith Chong is another talent in United's books. He made his competitive debut last season against Reading in the FA Cup and won the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year. The Dutch winger can play on the left and right sides but is especially effective on the right because he can cut inside with his left foot.
Chong showed some promise in pre-season, appearing four times altogether. He utilised his speed and dribbling skills to get past players and often drew fouls from defenders who were not quick enough to react.
The winger recently committed his future to United after his agent said that he wanted to “fight for his chance” at the club despite interest from Germany and Spain.
United have lacked an out-and-out right winger for many years. Chong could be deployed in that position in order to add a new dimension to the Red Devils’ attack.
#3 Mason Greenwood
Mason Greenwood has already made two appearances so far as a substitute in the first two Premier League games. The England U18 international has found himself as United’s third-choice striker behind Anthony Marital and Marcus Rashford despite being only 17 years old.
The forward was in prolific form last season, scoring 26 times and providing 8 assists in just 30 matches. Because of these performances, Greenwood was compared to former United striker Robin van Persie for his two-footed nature and clinical finishing.
This was evident in pre-season after he scored two goals, including the winner against Inter Milan. In the 76th minute, the youngster received the ball inside the box after Ashley Young’s free-kick was parried by the goalkeeper to his feet. Greenwood cut inside with his right foot and fired a shot with his left past several Inter defenders and the goalkeeper.
Mason Greenwood could be a good striking option for domestic competitions such as the FA Cup and League Cup. With time, he may also become one of Manchester United’s greatest strikers.
