GRADUATE DEBUTS AND BESTS

While every debut is different, and each one unique to the individual making the prestigious honour of representing Manchester United for the first time, it’s interesting to look back and assess how our Academy graduates’ debuts have typically panned out.

Wheatley became the 103rd of our 250 Academy debutants to have made their first Reds appearance as a substitute, and it’s the 138th win that the Reds have taken from those 250 debuts. The mean age of an Academy graduate making their Reds debut is under 19, and the data reveals that each graduate makes, on average, 78 appearances for the club.

Some 117 debuts have come at Old Trafford, with Wheatley’s maiden outing for the Reds the 35th out of the 250 to have been made in Premier League competition – a further 105 came in the old Division One.

Sir Bobby Charlton is the highest-scoring graduate, with 249 goals, and was for several years the record appearance maker with 758, until being overtaken by Ryan Giggs, incredibly, with his appearance in the 2008 Champions League final the game to see him leapfrog the fellow European Cup winner. Giggs’s record stands at 963 appearances, and he also holds the honour of most trophies won by an Academy graduate, with 35.

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MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana; Dalot, Casemiro, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka; Mainoo (Amrabat 90+1), Eriksen (McTominay 64); Antony (Amad 55), Fernandes (c), Garnacho; Hojlund (Wheatley 90+1).

Unused substitutes: Bayindir, Amass, Ogunneye, Jackson, Forson. 

Goals: Maguire 42, Fernandes 61 (pen), 81, Hojlund 85.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Colgate, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty; Bogle (Norwood 78), Hamer, Arblaster (c), Brooks (Souza 46), Osborn; Brereton Diaz, Archer (McAtee 62 (Osula 87)).

Unused substitutes: Grbic, Larouci, Curtis, Hampson, Slimane.

Bookings: Holgate 37.

Goals: Bogle 35, Brereton Diaz 50.

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View all the best photos from our young Reds’ U18 PL Cup final encounter with the Blues.

We got off to the dream start in the first half courtesy of a James Nolan and Ethan Wheatley link up with just seven minutes on the clock, opening the occasion and extinguishing any pre-game nerves.

Our opposition worked valiantly to try and regain a footing in the game following our first, but their defence was unlocked once more on the break by the same pair, with Wheatley this time shuffling around the on-rushing goalkeeper before claiming his second of the game.

It was a more muted affair in the second half, with City defender Stephen Mfuni providing a late scare with a header in the 84th minute. 

A scare is all it would prove to be, however, and our young Reds emerged victorious with the U18 Premier League Cup in hand.

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Adam Lawrence’s young Reds are bidding to complete a double for this campaign, having wrapped up the Under-18 Premier League North title with two games to spare.

Last Tuesday afternoon’s 2-1 away win at Wolves was enough to clinch the crown, and the proud achievement was duly celebrated with a special meal for the squad and staff on their return to Carrington later that day.

United manager Erik ten Hag was there to congratulate the boys and their coaches on becoming champions, in a season when 33 different players have featured – including a few, such as Harry Amass, Louis Jackson, Habeeb Ogunneye and Louis Jackson, who have been selected in senior matchday squads.

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