Nemanja Matic believes Manchester United's youngsters were given a timely reality check during pre-season defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
United tasted a 4-2 defeat in only their second friendly match of the summer as goals from Jesse Lingard and Anthony Elanga failed to secure a positive result in West London.
While the result might be alarming at first glance it is important to note the second-string nature of the United squad with many fringe players and academy hopefuls taking to the field for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
United finished the match with a host of U23 stars on the pitch and veteran midfielder Matic believes it was a valuable experience for the latest batch of hopefuls looking to make the grade at Old Trafford.
"Yeah they will remember," Matic told MUTV. "For some of these guys maybe their first or second game for Manchester United at senior football.
"They want to remember this. It is a great experience for them and I wish them all the best in the future.
"They saw today what they have to do in serious football, so it is a good start for them and we will see what they are able to do in the future."
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