Marcus Rashford leads dash for first team as Man Utd kids begin to emulate Class of 92
The new Academy breed ready to take the Premier League by storm...Marcus Rashford, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, James Weir and Axel Tuanzebe
Marcus Rashford has grabbed the headlines faster than a Roy of the Rovers dash from the centre circle to the penalty spot.
The Manchester United teenager amazingly has four goals in his first two senior games and is performing so well that skipper Wayne Rooney could have trouble in regaining the main striking role on his return from injury.
Rashford, aged 18, is a product of the Class of 2016...a conveyor belt producing talent on a masive scale to match the famous Class of 92 that threw David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers Gary and Phil on to the Old Trafford stage in the nineties.
Very quickly the young lads who became known as ‘Fergie’s Boys’ established themselves first as Premier League players, then as full internationals.
The way things are going at the moment the same could happen to Rashford and many of his youthful colleagues.
Rashford himself is already being talked about as a future England centre forward, while manager Louis van Gaal has also called on a host of other youngsters to fill gaps left by a long injury list.
Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Arsenal included a brace from Rashford, overnight the new darling of Old Trafford, while academy graduates - Dutch kid Timothy Fosu-Mensah, 18, and James Weir, 20 - ended the match on the pitch.
Full back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, 19, made his debut in the win overWest Bromwich in November and so far has 12 Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup appearances to his name .
Defender, Guillermo Varela, cost £2.4million from Penarol in 2013, but has honed his craft in United’s Under 20s.
Another defender, Axel Tuanzebe, 17, was named in van Gaal’s 18-man squad for the game against Crystal Palace last week to continue a trend that saw Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Jesse Lingard and James Wilson all feature in the Premier League last season
Van Gaal insists he was actually taken on to give youth a chance - and he has been as good as his word.
Explained the Dutchman: “[Giving academy graduates a chance] is the culture of Manchester United.
“That is why they took me as a manager. You see, youngsters give always a spirit to the team. That is a very important aspect of my philosophy.”
Rashford, the boy from Manchester and a lifelong Red who has been at the club since he was eight, could barely have dreamed of achieving what he has over the past few days. He scored two goals against FC Midtjylland on Thursday, did the same to Arsenal and made the assist for Ander Herrera for United’s third.
A snap shot of the match shows that Varela assisted the first goal and Rashford scored it. Jesse Lingard assisted the second and Rashford scored it again. The third was scored by Herrera, but assisted by Rashford. All in all, not a bad day for United’s academy.
Proof, as if it were needed, that van Gaal’s Class of 2016 is pure gold.
Leading members of the Class of 2016...
Marcus Rashford
Almost needs no introduction...
Aged 18, born in Wythenshawe in the south of Manchester, Rashford began playing football for Fletcher Moss Rangers at the age of five and joined the academy system at Manchester United at eight. Rest is history after four goals in his first two senior starts..
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Aged 18, the Dutch defender started his career as a centre-back at Ajax’s academy and his performances in youth European competitions convinced United to make a move.
James Weir
Aged 20, formerly on the books of hometown club Preston this attacking midfielder has an eye for a pass. Preferred to stay with United rather than go out on loan and the moves looks to have worked.
Aged 19, a Manchester-born lad who joined the Academy at the age of six. The full back made his debut for the reserves at 16, and was promoted to the first team for the win over West Bromwich in November.
Aged 17, born in Burnia in the Republic of Conga. A robust central defender who has been nurtured by the United Academy since the age of eight after growing up in Rochdale.
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