Ruben Amorim handed debuts to Manchester United duo Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey during the defeat to Aston Villa.
Manchester United lost 2-1 to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, meaning the Red Devils will spend Christmas in seventh place in the Premier League table.
But there were plenty of positives from the performance against Villa, including a third goal of the season for Matheus Cunha.
HAS Ruben Amorim proved concerns over his academy usage wrong after debuting Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey?🤔
These were his fourth and fifth academy debutants in 13 months…
Morgan Rogers scored two brilliant goals to claim all three points, but Ruben Amorim went chasing an equaliser by turning to two academy stars.
Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey became United’s 255th and 256th academy graduates by coming off the bench at Villa Park.
Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey stats vs Aston Villa
With Bruno Fernandes suffering a hamstring injury in the first half, Amorim was forced to chop and change his midfield after the break.
With Casemiro suspended and Kobbie Mainoo injured, Lisandro Martinez starred in a defensive midfield role and Jack Fletcher was introduced for an impressive 20-minute cameo.
Fletcher made 13 touches on the ball, completed six passes and won three duels on his debut. He made an important tackle inside United’s penalty area late on and tried to set up a counter-attack.
As for Lacey, in just 11 minutes he was able to forge an exciting chance for himself, cutting in on his left foot and shooting from range.
He completed one dribble and also won one duel as United pushed to find an equaliser.
Ruben Amorim shows trust in Man United academy
Earlier this week, Amorim’s comments on academy players sparked controversy, with the United boss claiming some youngsters were feeling “entitled”.
Who was the Man Utd man of the match in the defeat at Villa?
A positive performance despite the loss… who stood out for you?
With that in mind, it’s a huge compliment to the likes of Fletcher and Lacey that they have clearly met Amorim’s expectations and earned their senior debuts.
READ MORE: Five biggest winners and three losers as Manchester United lose 2-1 against Aston Villa
Amorim has been criticised for not trusting in United’s youth, but the Red Devils ended Sunday’s match with Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Fletcher and Lacey on the pitch – all of whom are 21 years old or under.
With injuries and absences stacking up for Amorim, the coming weeks could be a golden opportunity for academy stars to impress.
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