Manchester United’s youngsters are chasing silverware on a couple of fronts.
At under-21 level, Adam Lawrence’s side beat Sunderland on Sunday to secure a Premier League 2 play-off quarter-final trip to Crystal Palace.
Darren Fletcher’s under-18 side may miss out on the Premier League North title to Manchester City, but they have a chance to avenge that in the FA Youth Cup final against their neighbours – the date for which is still to be agreed as it is wrapped up in the fixture wrangle affecting Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing senior squad.
For United’s players, these matches are huge and could have a significant impact on who gets an opportunity to play a meaningful role in the early part of pre-season and push their claims for more involvement at senior level.
In 2018, United’s first pre-season game came four days after France beat Croatia in the World Cup final. Jose Mourinho’s squad included seven rookies, including Tahith Chong, James Garner and Mason Greenwood, who was only 16 at the time.
This time around, United start their pre-season the day before the final, against Premier League promotion hopefuls Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July.
Given players are allowed a minimum three-week break between the end of one season and the start of the next, it effectively means any player involved in the World Cup will not be in Finland.
Of the current squad, Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko play for countries who have not qualified.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven won’t be picked, while centre-back Matthijs de Ligt seems unlikely to be called up by the Netherlands given his injury issues, and keeper Andre Onana is still under contract but currently on loan in Turkey with Trabzonspor.
That is potentially a lot of youngsters playing against Wrexham, and potentially Norwegian side Rosenborg on 24 July.
Lawrence said no decisions have been taken yet.
“At the end of the season and the start of next we will sit down and look at the individual pathways and programmes for the players,” he added.
“There will be some that hopefully, if their performance levels – and where they’re at – deserves, will be involved with the first team in pre-season.
“Then you’re looking to see if those players grasp the opportunities, just in terms of, for instance, it being a World Cup year, there might be even more players that go with the first team.
“When you get those opportunities, then it’s down to the player to perform and give a good impression of themselves.”