Facundo Pellistri made his second appearance as a Manchester United player for the under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
It came a month after his under-23 debut in a 2-1 win over Everton.
Pellistri was selected as a starter for United away at Morecambe.
United had already qualified for the knockout stages of the competition, and this could have led to a lack of intensity from the team, with coach Neil Wood telling the youngsters to go and ‘enjoy the experience’.
There was little to enjoy on a very windy night in Morecambe, and United’s young side struggled to cope with the conditions.
United were 3-0 down by half-time and ended up losing the game 4-0.
This was not the night Pellistri would have wanted, however, it was the night he got, and it was a character building one.
The task for Pellistri is not to win games single-handedly, it is to adjust to English football.
And you don’t get a culture shock for a young South American to quite like a windy night in November in Morecambe.
This was all part of Pellistri’s development. He needs to build up his fitness.
His last start for Penarol came back in June, with three substitute appearances across late August and September 1.
So this was just Pellistri’s second game at any level in three months, and his second start in five months.
United are building him up and he will be better for this game. The objective will be for him to start stepping up in 2021, and a loan may even be required next season.
Pellistri played on both the left wing and right wing during the defeat, and showed a few nice touches.
Despite a few good moments, Pellistri will need to start influencing games at this level to reach the standard United want him to.
However, this is not the time to judge him. We are a long way away from that, and the 18-year-old prospect needs time.
This was a match which seems forgettable, but it will be helpful to his development and there is no rush for him.
Pellistri should not suffer from impatience brought about by a failure from the board to bring in a winger who is immediately ready to contribute.
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