Fergie’s Latest Fledglings

The Carling Cup may have its critics as a competition but the 50,000 strong crowd at Old Trafford on Tuesday night were thoroughly entertained as a youthful Manchester United side strode to a 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough. Matt Monaghan investigates


For many of these spectators the names on the United team sheet would have been completely alien to them due to their lack of first team exposure. However, as the high standard of football produced by the Red Devils will attest to, this match won’t be the only time that these players are selected to play at the Theatre of Dreams.

Ben Amos

The last few months have been exciting times for 18 year old goalkeeper, Ben Amos. Promoted to the United first team squad for their pre-season tour of South Africa, the youngster made his debut in the friendly against Portsmouth in August.

The England U18 international followed this up on Tuesday night with his first competitive start for the club. Amos acquitted himself well when called upon, and was unlucky to be beaten by a deflected Adam Johnson strike.

The Macclesfield born player’s ambition to make this more than a one off appearance was made abundantly clear to ManUtd.com in a recent interview. "Hopefully I’ll fight it out for a first-team place," he said. "That’s my aim, to play for the club. I wouldn’t be here otherwise."

Jonny Evans

Not many 20 year olds can say they’ve been part of a defence that was victorious against Spain. Even fewer players can say a game of that magnitude marked their international debut for their country.

However, this is just the scenario for Northern Ireland centre back Jonny Evans. The Belfast born youngster hadn’t even played a competitive game for Manchester United when as an 18 year old he was selected to play against the Euro 2008 champions.

Such promise was repeated in two loan spells at Sunderland where his steady presence made Black Cats boss Roy Keane desperate to acquire Evans on a permanent basis.

Sir Alex Ferguson was though quick to turn away the advances of his former captain, with Evans’ assured display in United’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last weekend proving his judgement to be correct.

Rafael Da Silva

Manager’s with the pedigree of Sir Alex Ferguson are notoriously hard to please and are often sparing with their praise. Thus, when Ferguson described Rafael’s debut against Peterborough United in August as “a sensation” then the Manchester United faithful became genuinely excited at the prospects for their young full back from Brazil.

Rafael more than followed this Peterborough performance up with an energetic second half run out against European heavyweights Juventus the following week. The ex-Fluminese player delighted the Old Trafford crowd with his speed up and down the United flank, and set up Paul Scholes with a delightful cross that really should have been converted.

With Gary Neville creaking along at 33 and Wes Brown yet to cement his position at right back, such displays make it certain that Rafael should get many more first team opportunities like this in the future.

Rodrigo Possebon

When Rodrigo Possebon looks back on his first competitive start for Manchester United, his memories will undoubtedly be soured by the horrific challenge inflicted upon him by Emanuel Pogatetz.

However, before the Austrian’s 66th minute challenge, the Brazilian had controlled the midfield with all the poise of a much more experienced player.

Never hurried when in possession of the ball, he played the match at his own pace, whilst at the same time using his 6ft 1” frame to exert himself physically on proceedings.

Such qualities saw Manchester United more than happy to pay a fee of $3.5 million to Brazilian club Internacional in 2007 where he had grown up with A.C. Milan hot shot Alexandre Pato.

Whilst Possebon may yet to have made as big an impression as his illustrious former team mate, the fact that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson described the player as “having a chance” hints he will be given games to do so once he recovers from Pogatetz’s rash tackle.

Danny Welbeck

Of all the first team players that have come through the Manchester United academy during Sir Alex Ferguson’s long reign, not one striker has made an indelible mark on the club.

Indeed, you have to go all the way back to Mark Hughes’ prodigal emergence in 1983 to see a centre forward making the grade at Old Trafford.

For Manchester born Danny Welbeck, the 25 years that have passed since that moment shows the scale of the challenge as he bids to cement his place in the United squad.

Welbeck does though have “a big future” according to his manager, as well as a tall, languid style not too far removed from Nigerian legend Kanu or new team mate Dimitar Berbatov.

The 17 year old impressed with these abilities against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, but to stand a real chance of following in the Manchester City manager’s footsteps he must begin to convert opportunities like the one on one he spurned against the Teessiders.

Matt Monaghan