Manchester United will hope to see more players follow in the footsteps of Kobbie Mainoo and rise up from the academy into the first team.
Last season was a difficult one for Manchester United fans.
Eighth place in the Premier League just isn’t good enough for United and neither is crashing out in the Champions League group stage.
Erik ten Hag managed to cling onto his job by winning the FA Cup, adding a second trophy in as many seasons at Old Trafford.
Outside of that FA Cup win, there just wasn’t all that much for United fans to shout about last season.
Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence as a first-team star was a highlight though as the midfielder became a breakout star.
Erik ten Hag stance on Toby Collyer
Mainoo not only became the new star in United’s midfield but even found himself starting a Euro 2024 final for England.
That rise has been incredible to witness and should serve as a source of major inspiration for other United talents.
Another midfielder is trying to follow that Mainoo trajectory having emerged as a potential first-team option.
Toby Collyer came off the bench against Liverpool, replacing the hapless Casemiro at half time.
The Manchester Evening News now claim that Ten Hag ‘really likes’ Collyer having been impressed with his development of late.
That would seemingly explain why Ten Hag trusted Collyer to come on against Liverpool and make an impact in the engine room.
It’s added that Collyer has demonstrated ‘freakish’ running stats in training, which have only been bettered by Bruno Fernandes.
That kind of feat certainly turns heads in training and Ten Hag appears to have been left impressed by the teenager.
Collyer catching the eye
Collyer joined United from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2022 having failed to agree terms to stay with the Seagulls.
The 20-year-old has now made his first Premier League appearance and it’s fair to say that being thrown on against Liverpool is hardly ideal.
That was a real baptism of fire for Collyer and he equipped himself well.
David May has praised Collyer as ‘brilliant’ against Liverpool and Steve Sidwell has even predicted that he could become the new Mainoo in terms of breaking into the United team and becoming a star.
Casemiro’s struggles mean Collyer may be called up on again in the near future and Ten Hag would seemingly trust him to make an impact whenever asked.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/y8KzWup