Manchester United’s under-23 season is on a break until 2022. The team sit in seventh place in the table with six wins and three draws from 14 games.
So while there is some improving to do from a results perspective, the performances have shown promise. Many players in United’s team were playing for the under-18s last season and have made the step up.
At this midway stage of the season, we are taking a look at the team’s top performers. In narrowing it down to three, Anthony Elanga misses out, having not featured for the side in the first two months of the campaign as he was training with the first team.
There’s no spot for Hannibal either, who missed two months with injury, while Charlie McNeill is particularly unlucky to miss out after a scoring spree in November and December.
We have selected the three players who have shown the most consistency and quality all season so far…
Charlie Wellens
Midfielder Charlie Wellens has settled into a new role at United this season, starring at right-back after Ethan Laird was sent out on loan, with Marc Jurado still captaining the under-18s.
Wellens has immediately adjusted to the role and provided a very useful outlet for the team going forward.
The youngster has managed to provide four assists this season, including one in the derby with City, and the highlight of his season was an excellent solo goal in United’s win at Blackburn.
Shola Shoretire
Shola Shoretire impressed for United’s first team in pre-season and he has carried that on with a series of consistently strong performances for the 23s.
Midway through the campaign, Shoretire is on course to better his numbers from last season. He has scored six goals and provided five assists. Last season he netted 10 and had six assists, so he has plenty of time to surpass these figures in the second half of this campaign.
Shoretire’s season highlight was scoring United’s third in a convincing 3-0 win over rivals Liverpool in October.
Alvaro Fernandez
Spanish talent Alvaro Fernandez has shown he has a real chance to become United’s future first team left-back.
Fernandez currently leads United’s under-23 side for assists with six in total, including UEFA Youth League games, and he has also scored two goals.
The highlight for Fernandez was his outstanding equalising goal for United against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in August, playing a one-two with Shoretire on the edge of the box before smashing the ball into the net.
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