Striker Charlie McNeill has admitted that it was an "honour" to make his senior debut for Manchester United during Thursday night's 1-0 Europa League group stage defeat to Real Sociedad at Old Trafford.
The youngster, who celebrates his 19th birthday today [Friday], stepped off the bench with seven minutes of normal time remaining, replacing summer signing Tyrell Malacia. United were a goal down at that point and manager Erik ten Hag made the decision to throw the striker onto the pitch, in the hope of him helping the Reds find an equaliser.
The move did not quite have the desired impact, but it was an immensely proud moment for McNeill, who is a boyhood United supporter. On an evening filled with sadness following the death of Queen Elizabeth II just 90 minutes before kick-off, McNeill's late cameo was one of the most treasured highlights of a relatively low-key contest.
