Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Yuel Helafu started at right-back for Manchester United U21s on Friday night in a 3-2 win over Brentford.
Friday saw Manchester United U21 beat Brentford in the PL2, without the star power of JJ Gabriel or first-team-bound Shea Lacey, it was right-back Yuel Helafu who stood out.
Helafu scored a goal and also made an assist for United forward Amir Ibragimov in the win, with the performance being his most emphatic statement yet as to why he deserves a chance to show his class for the first-team.
One year after Helafu was surprisingly in senior training under Ruben Amorim, with coaches shocked by his fast development, Helafu is now more deserving than ever.
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Yuel Helafu should get a first-team opportunity
This season already, Michael Carrick has trialled Yuel Helafu in training, one of just a few youngsters who have been given these chances this season to date. Jim Thwaites, Tynan Thompson, JJ Gabriel, and others alongside him.
However, Helafu has the benefit in that he would be fighting for right-back minutes, which is a position United are having some serious issues right now with neither Diogo Dalot nor Noussair Mazraoui in the form that will have Carrick confident and unwilling to try other solutions.
Helafu is effectively banging on the door of first-team football, which is the next step up from U21 football, albeit the intensity is nowhere near that of actual Premier League football. But Helafu, or Jaydan Kamason, who is equally as exciting a right-back prospect, should expect a chance this season.
Helafu was one of United’s best U18s last season, regularly starting games on the right in almost an inverted role due to Darren Fletcher rating the defender so highly on the ball. As a player, Helafu is so technically gifted and press-resistant.
By putting his name up in the lights on Friday night, Helafu has staked his claim for a chance. Now it is pressure on Dalot to find some sort of form and prove that he is worthy of the opportunities higher up in the club.
Helafu and Jaydan Kamason should both make Manchester United debuts
Helafu and Kamason are two very exciting right-back prospects, both of whom are good enough to be playing for United in the near future, if not right now.
Kamason was excellent in pre-season prior to the returns of Dalot and Mazraoui, getting an assist and looking like he was ready for senior football, only to be denied a loan.
Helafu is junior to Kamason, but the two of them should be heavily considered as the senior options continue to let Carrick down. While a further option worth considering is actually Leny Yoro.
Yoro looked like a natural at right-back during pre-season and should also be considered a solution over the course of this season.