Manchester United’s performance at the Allianz Arena last Wednesday did not represent the club of previous generations. They were outclassed by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, looking incomparable to previous teams that enjoyed European success.
On the bench, however, there was a sign that United are continuing their legacy of bringing through young players. Injuries and absentees, admittedly, created space for youngsters to be named as substitutes, with eight of Erik ten Hag’s potential replacements coming from the academy.
Two of those, Tom Heaton and Jonny Evans, have a combined age of 72, providing a useful link back to a past era of success, even if they are old enough to be the parents of some of their current teammates. Although United should be pleased that the veterans are still influential at the club, the focus against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday could turn to the latest crop of players looking to follow in their footsteps.
Four members of Travis Binnion’s 2022 FA Youth Cup-winning team were part of the squad in Munich. Of those, Daniel Gore is seen as the most likely to make an impact in the first team sooner rather than later. The midfielder was named the Denzil Haroun reserve team player of the year last season and made appearances during pre-season which suggested he is capable of stepping up. After being an unused substitute on five occasions this season, Gore will be hoping a first-team debut arrives at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Binnion has been promoted to manage the under-21s, a team Ten Hag keeps a close eye on. The Dutchman has forged strong links with the squad, wanting the players to fully understand what he and the club demand from anyone wanting to represent the first team, while making it clear the opportunity is there for players such as Gore or Omari Forson, for example, to make the step up.
Gore does not have to look far for inspiration because Hannibal Mejbri has taken his opportunity in recent weeks. The Tunisia midfielder feels like an old hand at United having made his debut in May 2021, but he has blossomed after a loan spell at Birmingham. In a dire team performance against Brighton, Mejbri impressed, scoring a fine consolation goal to earn himself a starting spot in the win over Burnley. It was proof that Ten Hag, a man used to working with young players at Bayern and Ajax, is willing to turn to youth.
Like Mejbri, Gore is guaranteed to bring energy to any side, a trait lacking in some United performances this season. Gore is technically gifted and eager to embrace the combative nature of elite football, best indicated by his ferocity in training, as Anthony Martial can testify.
He impressed in an outing for the under-21s in the EFL Trophy against Stockport, indicating he can cope with the physical rigours of senior football. Ten Hag lacks players with the ability to hassle and outrun opponents in the centre of the park, which could make Gore the perfect candidate for minutes.
Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are struggling to cope with the pace of games at the moment. The Dane would, however, be the ideal candidate to coach Gore through a fixture, while Mason Mount and Harry Maguire are set to return after recovering from injuries to provide more experienced heads.
Mejbri played the full match at Turf Moor, alongside his fellow graduates Evans, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford, to show the academy influence at United remains strong. Gore once again watched on with Alejandro Garnacho, a fellow Youth Cup winner and another player who has shown he is capable of making a difference in the first team. Even so, Garnacho has been limited to 145 minutes of action in four appearances this season and will be hoping the Carabao Cup allows him to remind Ten Hag why he deserves time on the pitch.
The third round of the Carabao Cup will come too soon for Kobbie Mainoo, the shining light of Binnion’s Youth Cup winners, who made his debut in the competition last season against Charlton. Born in Stockport, Mainoo was another afforded minutes during pre-season only for an injury to rule him out of the early stages of the campaign. Ten Hag has made clear Mainoo will be part of his plans when he returns to fitness.
United have won two of their three home matches this season, but struggled to overcome Wolves and Nottingham Forest before being picked apart by Brighton. The optimism of Ten Hag’s first season has been dented. The refreshing air of young blood could show the club’s long-term future is brighter than some would believe to be the case.
