Greenwood Is Man Utd’s New Baby-Faced Assassin

By Daily Sports on July 8, 2020

Manchester United have spent more than £1 billion on new players over the past nine years but the Red Devils latest revival owes much to a home-grown superstar in 18-year-old academy graduate Mason Greenwood.

The young forward was the star of the show as United scored five goals in the Premier League at Old Trafford for the first time since 2011 against Bournemouth at the weekend.

Greenwood smashed high into the Bournemouth net, first with his left foot and then with his right as free-flowing United won 5-2 in a style rarely seen since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

In his first season with the first team, Greenwood has scored 15 goals despite making just 18 starts in all competitions.

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who earned the tag “baby-faced assassin” for his finishing prowess as a player at Old Trafford, rates the club’s latest prodigy as “one of the best – if not the best – finisher I have worked with and seen”.

Greenwood’s second against Bournemouth was particularly eye-catching as he spun onto his supposedly weaker right foot before crashing the ball with such speed that Aaron Ramsdale could not keep it out despite getting a hand to it.

“It’s freakish,” said former United striker Andy Cole. “He can go either side and you know he’s going to produce that kind of quality.”

‘MORE LIKE A MAN’

Revitalised by the January signing of Bruno Fernandes, United were in fine form before football’s three-month coronavirus shutdown.

But far from seeing their momentum slowed, the manner in which Solskjaer’s men have returned has raised hopes they could even mount a title challenge to Liverpool and Manchester City next season.

Greenwood did not let the lockdown period go to waste as he reportedly gained three kilograms of muscle mass.

“Mason is looking more and more like a man,” said Solskjaer prior to the season's restart.

It has shown on the field as the teenager has started three consecutive Premier League games for the first time, during which United have scored 11 goals.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial’s goals against Bournemouth took them to the 20-goal mark in the season for the first time and with an average of just 21, United’s front three have the potential to bring back the glory days of the Ferguson era in the coming years.

“He’s always eager to learn and he reminds me, mentality-wise, of how I was when I was younger,” said Rashford. “If you keep learning, there’s no limit to what you can become.”

United’s immediate future is focused on securing a return to Champions League football, with a trip to relegation-threatened Aston Villa next up on Thursday.

The swagger and speed with which United have played in the past three games has come, significantly, in the only three matches Fernandes and Pogba have started together.

Pogba seemed destined to leave Old Trafford for the second time in his career prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Now, with finances tighter across European football, it is unlikely interest from Real Madrid will materialise this summer.

For the first time in his second spell at United, Pogba’s role in the midfield suits his skill-set, with Nemanja Matic providing the platform for the French World Cup winner and Fernandes to share the creative burden.

“We know that they (Rashford, Martial and Greenwood) can score goals, we know that they’ve got pace, energy, they’re youthful, they’ll learn, they’ll improve,” added Solskjaer.

“With the players that we have that can provide the passes with Paul and Bruno, the creativity that we’ve got in the team now is exciting.” (AFP)

•PHOTO: Mason Greenwood © Gallo Images

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 8, 2020


 

You may also like...
Ronaldo makes home debut for Juventus in 2-0...

Ihezuo, Yakubu make U20 Women's World Cup squad...

Iheanacho On Rampage In Europa League As Leicester,...

Tokyo 2020: Nigeria’s Medal Prospect Dies In Road...

Golovkin: I am not Chavez Jr.

Super Eagles’ Shot-stopper Okoye Joins Watford

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,141 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,269 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,350 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,991 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,931 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,878 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,718 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,288 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,332 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,035 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,489 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,916 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media