After such a promising first season in charge, Erik ten Hag is now in a position where his role as Manchester United manager could be under threat.
The Red Devils only have the FA Cup left to win, and they face an uphill battle to achieve Champions League football, which would have been set as the minimum in August.
Indeed, their derby day defeat to Manchester City won't have helped their cause either but there are one or two positive stories coming from a topsy-turvy campaign at Old Trafford.
In truth, one of the only positive results to have come out of this season is the development of youth, with Alejandro Garnacho continuously improving and Kobbie Mainoo relishing his opportunity in the first team.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at which youngster has an extremely bright future at the club, even showing signs of being as good as Mainoo.
Kobbie Mainoo’s 23/24 campaign in numbers
18-year-old Mainoo has well and truly cemented himself as one of the most promising prospects in England, never mind Man United.
His quality and class were on display the second he stepped foot onto the field on his debut at Goodison Park against Everton, where he was handed the man of the match and an 8/10 ratingby the Manchester Evening News.
However, he’s only progressed even further since then, starting in all of United’s last 12 games prior to the midweek FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest and even becoming the match-winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers with a United goal-of-the-month move.
Mainoo now happens to be one of the first names on the team sheet, and the midfielder has become a player that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will want to build his midfield around.
However, there’s a 17-year-old player in the academy who is showing the quality to follow in Mainoo’s footsteps in the near future.
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ByTom LeverMar 1, 2024 Finley McAllister could be next up
Finley McAllister is a name that not many Man United fans will have heard of before, but he has already been making waves in the academy.
The 17-year-old is a defensive midfielder who has played across multiple youth teams this campaign, as well as the England U17s. In addition to this, the local lad made his U18 debut at just 14 years old, a club record for the youngest player to feature for the team.
Fast forward to today, and McAllister is the captain of the U18s, playing 21 matches this season, and just like Mainoo, he’s proving to be a versatile player who can affect the game at both ends of the field.
U18 Premier League
14
2
4
UEFA Youth League
3
0
0
Premier League 2
2
0
0
EFL Trophy
1
0
0
FA Youth Cup
1
0
0
As you can see, the Salford-born prospect has added goals to his game while also acting as a creator, almost as a deep-lying playmaker who has the freedom to drift forward.
The 5 foot 9 ace has been the driving force behind the U18’s incredible run in the Premier League Cup, which has seen them reach the final. This week, the Red Devils defeated Crystal Palace’s U18’s 5-0 to make the final, with McAllister picking up a goal and an assist.
He’s a rather complete midfielder who has the personality and leadership that make him stand out above the rest, and he could just have a similar impact as Mainoo in the near future.