Manchester United have been preparing themselves for life without the Champions League since a 1-1 draw at hapless Huddersfield Town in May confirmed their place in the Europa League.
But on Thursday, having sat and watched the continent’s elite get their campaigns at the top table underway over the last 48 hours, reality will bite when Kazakh minnows Astana arrive at Old Trafford for the opening matchday of the junior competition.
For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the tournament provides a significant distraction from the battle to return to the top four in England thanks to the sheer amount of travel involved in a group demanding an 11,400-mile round trip. But what it does offer him in exchange is the opportunity to gift more first-team minutes to some of the youth players to whom he has previously given a taste of senior football.
Of those on the fringes, who could realistically expect to get some starts in the Europa League? Which of them might be used as a regular substitute? And are there any for whom a little more time is necessary before they are thrust into the spotlight?
Below, Goal looks at who could make the grade for United in Europe this season.
Mason Greenwood
Let us start with the most obvious one. Mason Greenwood’s rise to prominence under Solskjaer has seen him quickly become a regular on the United bench, but his manager did recently warn that there is a downside to his exposure to senior football.
“Mason is not used to playing as little as he is at the moment,” Solskjaer told the press ahead of the trip to Southampton in August. “He’s used to playing every week, but he’s coming on for half-an-hour here or there. That’s a learning curve for him.”
Well the Europa League provides the perfect platform to give him more of the starting roles he is used to. And with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford needing to be kept fresh for Premier League duty, the 17-year-old could even find himself becoming United’s go-to man in the number nine position come Thursday nights.
Verdict: Starter
Angel Gomes
Since Solskjaer adapted United’s play in the summer to send them out with a 4-2-3-1 formation, one glaring hole has presented itself in the No.10 position. Whether Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira or Juan Mata has started behind the main striker, there hasn’t really been a compelling case put forward to suggest United have a cut-and-dried answer in the middle of their attacking midfield line.
Gomes is definitely a player who can fulfil that job though, and having featured plenty during the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia there is reason to believe that Solskjaer will trust him with an occasional starting spot in the Europa League.
The 19-year-old also has adaptability in his favour, meaning that he could also play in a wider position if the Norwegian finds a need to pick him there.
Verdict: Starter
Tahith Chong
Chong’s impact in the pre-season victory over Inter in Singapore had many a United follower excited, and the Dutch wide man can certainly take the opportunity to increase his profile with a string of positive performances in the Europa League this term.
Another 19-year-old, Chong has been on the verge of the first team since Solskjaer first arrived last December, making his debut in the 2-0 FA Cup win over Reading the following month. And while United do have a number of options in the wide positions, the exit of Alexis Sanchez to Inter for the rest of the season has moved him one rung up the ladder.
To play Greenwood, Gomes and Chong all in the same forward line might be a little kamikaze though, so the latter may have to wait his time a little more than his contemporaries. His searing pace and direct style certainly make him a compelling option off the bench.
Verdict: Sub
James Garner
After making his Premier League debut as a 17-year-old at Crystal Palace in February, Garner was given the ultimate accolade by his manager.
“We’ve got great faith in him as the next Michael Carrick,” said Solskjaer. “I know he’s young and I know it’s not fair on kids to compare them to great players like Michael was, but he’s in the same mould.”
He may well get the odd opportunity to show his Carrick-like tendencies in this Europa League campaign, although for now he remains part of Neil Wood’s under-23 setup in which he is becoming a more and more prominent figure.
Verdict: Sub
Dylan Levitt
He may not have a senior appearance to his name yet but Dylan Levitt could well be the next cab off the rank in the United youth system having now twice been called up by Ryan Giggs to be a part of the Wales national squad.
The dynamic midfielder has grown in stature over the past 12 months, scoring some key goals at youth level and appearing in the under-21 side which beat Rotherham United’s first team in the EFL Trophy last month.
Of all the United youngsters yet to have made an imprint on Solskjaer’s squad, Levitt is on the most promising trajectory. This season’s Europa League might come a little too quickly for him though.
Verdict: Needs more time
Brandon Williams
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw as first choice full-backs and Ashley Young, Diogo Dalot and Marcos Rojo among their alternate options, United are well stocked when it comes to full-backs.
But having already tasted a significant European match experience when included in the squad that enjoyed that memorable Champions League comeback against PSG in March, Brandon Williams (pictured above) is certainly on Solskjaer’s radar.
The speedy left-back was another to feature in August’s EFL Trophy win over Rotherham’s senior side and he could well become a serious option in the years to come at first-team level. This year’s Europa League though? It would appear that United have options enough for the time being.
