Wood says ‘outstanding’ Hannibal Mejbri is making tactical improvements

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Hannibal Mejbri has been one of Manchester United’s best players at under-23 level this season.

Mejbri has been a regular, making 17 total appearances in under-23 and EFL Trophy games.

During these matches Mejbri has six assists and three goals, with a highly impressive strike coming in the win against Blackburn last weekend.

Mejbri’s off ball work has improved too, with under-23s coach Neil Wood commending the young Frenchman on how he has adapted his game this season.

Wood told the MEN: “He’s doing really well. He’s been outstanding for the last couple of games. He was outstanding against Liverpool and I thought he was excellent again [against Blackburn].

“Hannibal is so much better off the ball now and has so much better positional discipline about him, he needed that. If he went from what he was doing in the last couple of years to going to a league team [on loan] it just wouldn’t work.”

Wood also called for greater protection for Mejbri from referees. He is frequently fouled and took a hefty challenge late in the game against Blackburn.

The MEN report Mejbri is expected to be involved in tonight’s game when United’s under-23s take on Arsenal.

Mejbri is only in his second season at United after a 2019 switch from Monaco, and turned 18 in January.

He is a player United have very high hopes for and Wood’s comments about his off ball work and positional discipline bode well. These are the types of traits Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will want to see him showing progress in, in addition to his creativity, before calling him up into the first team.

Mejbri might have to wait until next season for a step up, but there is little doubt he will eventually get an opportunity. It’s up to him from there to seize it.

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