Manchester United’s young players showcased their ability this week with a dramatic UEFA Youth League tie against Borussia Dortmund.
United drew 2-2 before being eliminated on penalties, with striker Charlie McNeill and defender Rhys Bennett scoring the goals.
The undoubted star of the show on United’s part was Hannibal Mejbri, with the Tunisia international ‘dropping down’ from training with the first team squad to feature.
Hannibal is still waiting for his first minutes under Ralf Rangnick, despite making it onto the bench a handful of times, and it was important he seized this opportunity to show what he could do.
Hannibal will be a great addition
The 19-year-old put in a lively display, strong enough to show he can be a real asset to Ralf Rangnick’s team when he is given the opportunity.
He showed an outrageous range of passing in the Youth League game, constantly looking to play the ball in behind the Dortmund defence and find a teammate.
At the heart of Hannibal’s ability is a create streak and ability to pick a pass, whether he is in his own half playing it forward like his assist for the under-23s against Derby last week, or on the edge of the box trying to find a way through a crowded defence.
Hannibal can at times suffer from the same difficulties Bruno Fernandes occasionally takes, he is a risk taker, and attempts difficult passes others might not even see, and occasionally he loses the ball, when others would play it safe.
While there is some fine-tuning to do, like even with Fernandes, you can’t take this out of him. It’s part of what makes him so special, having the vision to see the difficult passes, and the bravery and confidence to attempt them.
Ralf Rangnick’s United have created more goalscoring chances than any Premier League team since he took charge, with the interim boss beginning to make an impact on United’s style of play.
Hannibal would be a great addition, fitting in seamlessly if given a chance. His willingness to take risks, link-up with teammates, and run with the ball, fits in with what Rangnick is trying to do.
Once United get through this next stretch of tough fixtures and head to April, opportunities may begin to open up for Hannibal.
You would think at the least the Tunisian has managed to overtake veteran Juan Mata in the pecking order, and may even be pushing Jesse Lingard too.
Both players will be gone next season, and Hannibal will be part of the first team. Rangnick has a chance to accelerate that process early by giving him a chance like he has with Anthony Elanga.
Hannibal is not far off, and his performance this week was a mark of his quality. He is a player with an X-factor and personality which is rarely seen in a teenage midfielder, and it is only a matter of time before he starts doing it in the first team too.
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