Mason Greenwood led the line impressively for Manchester United in the weekend victory over Leeds.
Greenwood netted United’s second goal in the 5-1 win, running half the pitch in possession before scoring into the bottom corner.
The teenager became the third United player to hit 30 goals for the club before turning 20, and former star Rio Ferdinand is excited to see him progressing.
Speaking to his Five YouTube channel, Ferdinand said he believes Greenwood’s physical development is helping his game.
Ferdinand said: “I saw some stuff in that game that I know some of the coaches are looking for behind the scenes at Man United. This isn’t a surprise. It’s just been waiting to happen in the first team.
“His body’s catching up, obviously, he knows what he needs to do, you can see that his mind is on he right wavelength with the first team players.
“Sometimes physically some players like Rooney came into the first team physically ready. You can see Mason Greenwood, he’s growing into that frame.
“He was one of the standout players, some of the movement, some of the ball retention, ‘give me the ball’, shrugging people off. To run half the pitch and then to finish, boom, like that in the bottom corner, to do that, he is building power, you can see that added to his game. All these things come together.
“I think if he had gone to the Euros, he’d have had a massive impact off that bench, he just knows how to score goals, any level.”
Starring as a central striker
Greenwood has played most of his United career wide on the right. This will be less of an option this season with Jadon Sancho’s arrival at the club.
He will still get game time at the position, but at the moment United are using him as a central striker.
United did so at times early last season and it didn’t quite click for him. This time, as Ferdinand points out, Greenwood’s increased physicality is helping him attune to the demands of the position.
Greenwood has also clearly learned a lot from Edinson Cavani. His movement, work rate, and the way he ran the channels was reminiscent of the Uruguayan.
Cavani is set to return to training imminently, but Greenwood will be given the chance to keep him out of the side as long as possible. His weekend performance indicated he is ready to step up with a big 2021/22 season.
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