Manchester United youngster Ethan Laird has identified the coming campaign as "his breakthrough season" after beginning it in fine style against Rotherham United.
Laird's thunderbolt set United's Under-21s on their way to over the League One side in Tuesday night's EFL Trophy clash, as the Reds won their first ever game in the competition — and the first under new boss Neil Wood.
Right-back Laird impressed throughout and, after suffering last season with injury, is targeting a big campaign for the Under-23s and a future first-team role.
“This season is definitely my comeback season,” he told MUTV. “I'm looking for great things this season. Obviously, it's good to start it off with a goal and it's a brilliant feeling for me and the team as well."
On his goal, he said: “I got the ball back and thought: 'just smack it' and, luckily, it went in.
"It just raised the energy of the game, when you get that goal and that feeling, it's like 'come on lads'. It was so good! Our fans were very noisy but then that's just Manchester United for you. The support is crazy, travelling out all the way to Rotherham explains that in itself."
”We did really well, especially against a senior team with big, physical lads so I'm really proud of the team for getting our first win (in the competition).
And when asked about his specific objectives for the season, the talented 18-year-old was clear.
“I'm growing, I would say,” he said.
“I like to say the time I had out (injured) really helped me physically. Unfortunately, I was out of football but there was other stuff to work on, except for the football, like my body. I want to get to the next step, which is the first team, and be able to cope at that level.
"Definitely something I've learned (against Rotherham) was the back-post position. Sometimes, they have two or three men crowding you and you need to make it hard for them.”
