Luke Shaw Injury: Should Ole Hand A Manchester United Debut To Academy Sensation?

Manchester United have a major injury crisis as left-back Luke Shaw will miss around a month of action due to injury, while his potential replacement, Diogo Dalot, is also injured, which has resulted in speculation of 18-year-old full-back Brandon Williams getting an opportunity to replace Shaw in the team.

The teenager is a Manchester United fan who has been a part of the club since the age of 7 and signed a senior contract with the club in 2017 and has played in the U18 side as well as the Premier League 2 team at the English club. Williams was a part of United’s travelling party to the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain, although he did not make the squad.

Let’s take a closer look at this Manchester United youngster:

Strengths

Williams primarily operates as a left-back in Manchester United’s youth team but he can also play on the opposite side as a right-back. The youngster is a right-footed player and is an attack-minded player, who uses his pace and dribbling ability well to gallop forward at every opportunity which he has shown this season already, racking up 5 assists in 4 games so far.

He often uses his pace to get out of tricky situations as well as complete interceptions, and switches from defence to attack in no time. Williams often puts in tackles to dispossess the opponent and move the ball forward quickly. Although right-footed, the youngster is strong with his left foot as well and can make accurate passes upfield and move the ball ahead.

Weaknesses

Williams is quick, with or without the ball, but he can get outmuscled by bigger players, while he is also not strong enough to outmuscle attackers. The 18-year-old is very good going forward and makes recovery tackles, but leaves a lot of space behind him when he ventures forward, which is an area that he could be punished in the Premier League.

Verdict

Williams, along with another full-back, Ethan Laird, could be the next players from the Manchester United youth team to step up to the first-team squad, as they both possess the energy, determination, and the talent to succeed at Old Trafford.

But given the pressure Ole will be under after the chastening loss to Crystal Palace, it is unlikely that the manager will take such a huge call for such an important position right now with Ashley Young or indeed Marcos Rojo looking the likelier options.