Photo by Zohaib Alam/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Zohaib Alam/Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United face Fulham in a must-win game on Sunday, and ahead of the fixture, Michael Carrick has taken Jay McEvoy into first-team training.
Despite not getting the same billing as others, Jay McEvoy is among Manchester United’s best young midfield prospects right now. McEvoy has taken the U18 armband this season and has looked a cut above the rest for Darren Fletcher’s young U18 side.
McEvoy has gone from strength to strength for United with his development over the past 12 months, becoming incredibly well-rounded in midfield. Now, he has gotten the recognition deserved from Michael Carrick, with his first chance to train with the first-team.
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Jay McEvoy gets first-team exposure
Having started the U18 season really strongly, McEvoy took to his social media to reveal that on Thursday, he was involved in the first-team training session at Carrington.
McEvoy is a player who could realistically have the necessary qualities and strengths to suit first-team football in the not-too-distant future. With his silky technical ability, crunching tackles, and also the ever-increasing goal threat he offers, McEvoy is as close to a Roy Keane United has produced.
Chances are, McEvoy will play for the U18s on Saturday anyway, with his first-team opportunity more for the experience and also for Carrick to get a first glimpse of how he stacks up against others within the midfield department.
Jim Thwaites, Tyler Fletcher, and Cristian Orozco would be McEvoy’s biggest competition to break through as a midfielder right now, with all four being excellent talents in their own right. But McEvoy can arguably do it all.
While probably considered fourth in this list due to his age and U18 participation, McEvoy has proven he can’t be forgotten with performances that demonstrate clear progression.
This season, and last, the most exciting addition he managed to make to his game was goals. McEvoy has become a countable goalscorer for Fletcher’s side, often arriving in the box or the edge of the box with impeccable timing to score.
Keep an eye on McEvoy’s development over the course of this season; he could be among the next few graduates. Especially if he continues to look far too good for U18 football.