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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Nicky Butt tips five unknown Manchester United youngsters to make first team

Nicky Butt has hinted that there are 'four or five' more academy players who could get a chance in the Manchester United first team this season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been happy to give United's crop of talented teenagers playing time at the beginning of the campaign, with Mason Greenwood a regular fixture in the first team.

Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes and Brandon Williams have all also featured this season and Butt thinks there are other youngsters who could yet get a chance.

“They’re very exciting players,” Butt told the PA news agency.

“We’re all excited about these young boys and there’s probably another four or five in the background that are slowly going to come up behind them.

“Hopefully more behind that and more behind that, but they’re only babies and young at the minute.

“But, for me, it’s difficult to bring in a lot of players into a team that’s not firing on all cylinders, if you like.”

Greenwood shone for United during pre-season and was subsequently rewarded in the first team under Solskjaer.

However, despite a promising start to the campaign, Butt has called for patience with regards to United's youngsters and urged fans to ease the pressure on their promising talents.

Butt added: “I genuinely do believe that we have some really, really top talent but my concern would be putting too much weight on their shoulders at this moment in time, which might have to happen because of injuries or suspensions or whatever goes on in the squad dynamic.

"They can play a big role by going on the pitch and performing.

“But at this club, you have to perform week in, week out, every single week, in front of 76,000, twice a week.

“It’s very, very difficult and the message we want to give as an academy and as a club is, yeah, Mason Greenwood, if you want to use his name, he looks like an unbelievable, talented boy, which he is.

“But the word ‘boy’ is what he is, and we have just to as a fanbase and supporters be patient with these boys.”

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