Manchester United will be hoping to notch up a first win of the season against Grimsby on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup second round.
The mood around Old Trafford feels completely different to this time last week, with Manchester United only able to take a point from Craven Cottage.
After excitement following the performance in defeat to Arsenal, United were brought back to earth on Sunday, drawing 1-1 against Fulham.
The result itself wasn’t the issue, as many fans could see that United should have ended the game in the first-half with plenty of opportunities to do so.
However, the second-half was very frustrating to watch as Ruben Amorim made a handful of errors which proved costly. The biggest saw Kobbie Mainoo left on the bench.
As a result, Mainoo is now considering his future which would be a disaster for Amorim’s standing within the fanbase, although the midfielder will likely feature against Grimsby.
But he shouldn’t be the only academy talent to feature, with five wonderkids ready to make their debuts against an opponent United should walk past.
Jack Fletcher during Manchester United training session.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
More United News
Jack Fletcher
If there is any academy player on the cusp of making the step up, it is and should be Jack Fletcher, with the 18-year-old already proving himself to be too talented for U21 football.
Fletcher was handed the number 38 during pre-season which suggests Amorim has plans for him this coming season and if he can’t get minutes against Grimsby, when will he?
The talent signed from Manchester City in 2023 has been around the first team set-up for a year, with Bruno Fernandes a fan of Fletcher’s talent.
Over the summer, Fletcher was tasked with developing physically by United and he did exactly this, which should see him at least getting substitute minutes in the right sided number 10 role.
This season for the U21s, Fletcher has a goal and an assist in two games, now it is time to ease him into senior football against opposition at a level he has already mastered with the U21s.
Bendito Mantato
In similar shoes to Fletcher is Bendito Mantato, with the 17-year-old already catching Amorim’s eye with his youth form enough to warrant inclusion on the pre-season tour.
Mantato was dominant for the U18s at the weekend, and last season made U21 football look easy which means the next logical step would be first-team football.
During pre-season, Mantato didn’t cover himself in glory but against League Two opposition it is the perfect chance to give the teenager a chance to become a feasible option at right wing-back.
Mantato could be Amorim’s own Geovany Quenda and that process should be initiated on Wednesday night at Meadow Lane.
Reece Munro
One area of the pitch Amorim is likely to completely rotate this week is centre-back, and this could open the door slightly for Reece Munro to step in and get some minutes.
Munro appears to be rated above Godwill Kukonki, and as a result, should be challenging Tyler Fredricson for the back-up right centre-back role in Noussair Mazraoui’s absence.
Munro caught Amorim’s eye over the summer and we’d love to see the 18-year-old given an opportunity against Grimsby.
Ethan Williams
Potentially the player most likely to get a chance, at least in theory, is Ethan Williams, as the winger impressed during the US Tour.
Williams scored for United against Bournemouth in Chicago, and looked really comfortable and at home alongside his senior teammates.
Amorim needs to give him a chance in that left number 10 role potentially supporting Mason Mount off the bench to gauge where he is in development right now, otherwise a loan could be on the cards.
Jim Thwaites
The final name we have on the list is something of a wildcard, with Jim Thwaites looking sensational in midfield for the academy this season so far.
Amorim told Thwaites there was space in the team for him, following his appearance on the post-season tour, and now it is time for the 17-year-old to get a proper opportunity.
Sekou Kone would have taken this spot, however with the Malian midfielder out injured, Thwaites is the one we want to see.
In the number six position, Thwaites is excellent on the ball and almost Sergio Busquets-esque with how he is so press resistant and can pick out passes anywhere on the pitch.