New Delhi: Manchester United had been hit by a terrible injury crisis ahead of their clash with Tottenham, leaving them extremely short on first team players. The club lost both Kobbie Mainoo and star boy Amad Diallo to long term injuries last night, with the Ivorian ruled out for the rest of the season. Earlier in the month, Lisandro Martinez had been ruled out for the remainder of the season as well with an ACL injury.
They then suffered another blow as both Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer were reported to be unavailable for tonight’s clash as well. Adding to the club’s already bloated injury list, this left Ruben Amorim with a total of 12 first team players who were unavailable for the trip to Tottenham, including long term absentees like Luke Shaw and Mason Mount. This forced the Portuguese to field a completely unexperienced bench for such a crucial fixture.
Trusting in youth 🤝🔴#MUFC || #TOTMUN pic.twitter.com/TeKKjzCpfD
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 16, 2025
Brazilian midfielder, Casemiro, who has found game time hard to come by off late, was thrusted into the starting XI, leaving Victor Lindelöf as the only experienced name on the bench. Apart from the Swedish defender, Amorim has named seven academy products, all of whom are teenagers, with three of them being 17-year-olds and have not yet made a single appearance for the club. Let’s find out who are these seven youngsters hoping to make their Manchester United debut tonight?
7) Jack Moorhouse (Attacking Midfielder)
19-year-old midfielder Jack Moorhouse makes the Manchester United first team squad for the first time and will be hoping to find some minutes on the pitch. A technically gifted midfielder with an eye for goal, Moorhouse has overcome a long-term injury to make a strong return for United’s under-21s. He showed his talents early on, making his debut for the U18s while just being 15 years old. His performances in recent months included a brace against Southampton’s under-21s and a stunning individual goal against Spurs, that seem to have caught Amorim’s attention. He was nominated for December’s Premier League 2 Player of the Month award, indicating his prowess at that level.
6) Elyh Harrison (Goalkeeper)
18-year-old Elyh Harrison joined United from Stevenage in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the club’s top young goalkeepers. He guided the U18s to a Premier League North and Premier League Cup double last season, and became only the second goalkeeper in the club’s history to win Denzil Haroun reserve team player of the year award. After impressing on loan at Chester, where he kept seven clean sheets in 18 appearances, he was recalled by United and has since been part of the first-team squad. Being a goalkeeper, he’s expected to remain on the bench for the entirety of the game barring any unusual happenings.
5) Jack Fletcher (Attacking Midfielder)
Jack Fletcher is the son of former United midfielder and current first-team coach Darren Fletcher, and that automatically raises expectations for the 17-year-old. He has been in fine form for the under-21s this season with his creative play and ability to dictate tempo standing out. He has already been named in the senior squad for multiple matches and has represented both England and Scotland at youth level, and he continues to develop into a promising playmaker. He has been in great form for the U21s as well with two goals and three assists in five Premier League 2 matches and has also impressed in the FA Youth Cup as well.
4) Tyler Fredricson ( Centre-Back)
19-year-old Tyle Fredricson is a composed defender who has captained United’s under-21 side this season and is probably the most experienced player on the bench after Lindelöf. Having previously been part of the first-team squad in the Europa League, he has worked his way back from injury and is now being rewarded with another call-up. His leadership qualities and solid defensive presence make him a reliable option for Amorim in times of crisis. He was a big part of United’s 2022 FA Youth Cup success and has already made eight appearances for the U21s while having represented England at under-18 level.
3) Harry Amass (Left-Back)
Signed from Watford in 2023, Amass has quickly established himself as one of United’s most promising young full-backs. Having impressed in pre-season and regularly trained with the first team due to injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, the 17-year-old is now on the verge of making his competitive debut. A confident ball-carrier with an attacking mindset, Amass has drawn comparisons to Shaw and has represented England at multiple youth levels. He was first included in a matchday squad in April 2024 against Liverpool last season and always looks to be on the cusp of breaking into the first team. With left-back being somewhat of a problem area for the club, he could be making his debut sooner rather than laters.
2) Sekou Kone (Defensive Midfielder)
A powerful midfield presence, Sekou Kone was signed from Malian club Guidars FC for over £1 million last summer. His performances at the U17 World Cup put him on United’s radar, where he helped Mali finish third in the tournament, beating Argentina in the third place play-off game. A long-term prospect for the No. 6 role, the 19-year-old’s strength and ball-winning ability make him a player to watch. While still adapting to the intensity of English football, he has shown flashes of brilliance in United’s under-21 matches. He’s earned high praise from U21 head coach Travis Binnion and we could see him make his debut tonight.
1) Chido Obi-Martin (Striker)
The 17-year-old is one of the most exciting young forwards at the club and has been making waves with his prolific goal-scoring record at the youth level. The Danish-born striker, who joined United from Arsenal last summer, has been unstoppable in front of goal. He finished last season with a record 32 goals in 18 games for Arsenal’s under-18s before moving to Old Trafford. Since then, he has continued his remarkable form, scoring hat-tricks in the FA Youth Cup and league games. Obi’s pace, movement, and clinical finishing make him a strong candidate for a first-team debut soon. In just six Premier League U18 games, he’s scored five and assisted one for United’s U18s.
Manchester United’s season has been plagued by injuries and with 12 first teamers unavailable for the clash, several academy stars have been called up to the matchday squad. Dive in to find out who they are! Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
