JJ Gabriel takes a lot of the plaudits within the Manchester United U18 side; however, there are other names equally deserving of excitement amid strong campaigns.
After last weekend’s Manchester derby defeat, Manchester United were back on track against Middlesbrough in the U18 Premier League Cup.
It is a win which sees United continue a strong start to the cup after thrashing Brighton 4-0 back in August.
This season so far, JJ Gabriel has been United’s standout performer, scoring seven goals in the league this season, which is a remarkable record for a 14-year-old.
But this weekend, it was another young talent who got the spotlight, continuing an excellent start to his second season at United.
Manchester United have found a real talent in Samuel Lusale
With Gabriel drawing a blank against Middlesbrough, it was Samuel Lusale who stepped up for Fletcher’s side, putting in a stunning performance on the left wing.
Lusale scored both goals in United’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough, with the second being assisted by the 15-year-old youngster Douka Nkoto.
Following this, Lusale boasts an impressive eight goal contributions in his last seven games for United, with four goals and four assists.
It was only August that Lusale scored his first U18 goal for United, after having a difficult settling-in period at Carrington in his first year.
Lusale joined United from Crystal Palace last summer, and finally, the 18-year-old is starting to showcase why he was signed in the first place.
An electric winger by trade, Lusale is always a threat when running at his opponents.
Samuel Lusale could have all the traits needed to become a wing-back for Ruben Amorim
Over the past 12 months, Lusale has improved his physicality a lot, with a better engine and power in his running, which all lend themselves well to transitioning into a wing-back.
Lusale is an excellent ball carrier, often picking the ball up deep and running down the wing with it, where he can either cross or have a shot.
The wing-backs in Amorim’s system have to be good on the ball, and in attacking situations, effectively being wingers in truth.
So it could be a way Lusale can get himself into the head coach’s plans over the coming months and years, with Patrick Dorgu struggling this season.
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