Manchester United will begin the defence of the FA Youth Cup later today, but they'll be doing so without the young man who lifted the trophy for them back in May.
It was rather fitting that United's latest lift of the prestigious trophy was done by a Manchester-born defender who had put in a captain's performance on the biggest day of his career.
The next time Rhys Bennett plays at Old Trafford, though, it might well be in the first-team rather than the youth ranks.
Match reaction: United vs Real Betis highlights
Bennett, 19, was hoping for a chance to impress Erik ten Hag during the warm-weather break in Spain, but he wouldn't have wanted it to come the way it did when Teden Mengi was stretched off the pitch against Real Betis on Saturday evening.
Mengi has been an inspiration to his fellow young centre-back this season, having not only made his United debut, but having also impressed on two different loan-spells in the Football League despite his young age.
For the next generation of young hopefuls, he is a relatable role model and someone with whom they can speak openly about their own development.
There is very little room for sentiment in top-class football, though, and now it is Bennett who will benefit from the unfortunate hamstring injury that has sidelined Mengi and could well scupper his proposed loan exit next month.
It is still unfair to read too much into a performance in a game of such nature, but the teenager coped well when he was thrown into the action, particularly as part of a makeshift partnership alongside Victor Lindelof.
Bennett, who signed his first professional deal at the start of the year, has already been integrated into first-team training sessions under Erik ten Hag and has benefited enormously from the opportunity to face senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season.
The next of those will likely come on Tuesday night when United travel to face Bolton in the Papa John's Trophy and a week later, he might well be pitting himself against Championship opposition when Burnley visit Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup.
Given that United will have two senior centre-backs involved in the World Cup semi-finals and quite possibly the final as well, there will be plenty of opportunity for Bennett over the next few weeks, potentially even up until the end of the year.
It would still be a surprise if the 19-year-old were to make his senior debut in the coming weeks, but even if he doesn't, he will gain so much from being the fourth or even third-choice centre-back during that period of time.
United might have lost a top youngster to injury, but the next one will now get his chance.
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