Manchester United’s pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on Saturday marks a crucial moment for academy players, with the focus shifting to Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher, two young talents poised for a significant impact on the team. The match, a final opportunity for the travelling party to feature their younger contingent, will be watched closely as managers assess the extent of their potential for a first-team spot. Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, and Matheus Cunha are anticipated to return to pre-season training next week, while Belgium pair Senne Lammens and Youri Tielemans will step up the work they began at Carrington on Thursday, with the weekend’s encounter with Paris Saint-Germain likely to offer a more familiar feel. Recruitment remains a key factor, and the extent to which these youngsters have impressed enough to warrant a permanent role is being closely scrutinized. Harry Amass, Jaydan Kamason, Dan Armer, Jack Fletcher, Jim Thwaites, Ethan Williams, and JJ Gabriel remain in the squad, while others were on under-21s duty against Altrincham. However, it’s clear Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher are at the top of the list of those considered to have the potential to make a significant impact. The status of Lacey and Fletcher within the United fold has been consistently positive, with their performances in the opening pre-season game against Wrexham in Helsinki proving remarkably effective, and their subsequent goalscoring record in Norway against Rosenborg further solidifying their reputation. Last May, U21s coach Adam Lawrence highlighted Lacey’s ‘magic in her feet’ after a 4-3 Premier League 2 semi-final victory, and this praise underscores the belief amongst the coaching staff that she possesses significant talent. Lawrence also emphasized the importance of Fletcher’s defensive contributions, noting that he reads the game well and his passing is clean. Fletcher’s journey to the first team has been a story of rapid development, with him having already achieved considerable success, including a 4-3 victory against Manchester City in the opening pre-season match. The 19-year-old’s appearance at Brighton on the final day of last season was a significant start, and the expectation is that he will remain with Carrick’s squad for the foreseeable future. A 16-minute appearance at Brighton was the start of a stunning couple of weeks for Fletcher. Scotland boss Steve Clarke, asked about Fletcher’s potential, noted that the 19-year-old had been given an international debut against Bolivia, followed by a crucial role in Clarke’s World Cup squad after injury to the South Americans. The experience, he indicated, is invaluable, offering Fletcher a taste of something to aim for during the next chapter of his career. The same is also true of Fletcher’s midfield partnership with Billy Gilmour, where he is expected to provide the team with a consistent level of energy and tactical awareness. Jacob Devaney was Manchester United’s Premier League 2 skipper last season, and he is keen to see if Fletcher can be brought in for a few days in the pre-World Cup camp. The experience of playing for Sheffield Wednesday, where he was loaned out, has been regarded as valuable for Fletcher, and the belief is that he will be able to secure a loan move that offers an opportunity to showcase his talent at the highest possible level. Collyer, Gore, and Wheatley were involved in an under-21s game at Altrincham, and Devaney was captain. The trio all featured in Helsinki but injury cost Wheatley his place against Rosenborg. Collyer, Gore, and Wheatley were involved in an under-21s game at Altrincham rather than travel to Sweden. Devaney scored in Norway and was excellent in two appearances in central defence. He prefers central midfield, but United hopes he will be able to secure a loan move that will offer an opportunity to showcase his talent at the highest possible level. The same is also true of midfield pair Dan Gore and Toby Collyer, plus England Under-20s striker Ethan Wheatley. The trio all featured in Helsinki but injury cost Wheatley his place against Rosenborg. Collyer, Gore, and Wheatley were involved in an under-21s game at Altrincham rather than travel to Sweden. Devaney was captain. The same is also true of midfield pair Dan Gore and Toby Collyer, plus England Under-20s striker Ethan Wheatley. The trio all featured in Helsinki but injury cost Wheatley his place against Rosenborg. Collyer, Gore, and Wheatley were involved in an under-21s game at Altrincham rather than travel to Sweden. Devaney was captain. The same is also true of midfield pair Dan Gore and Toby Collyer, plus England Under-20s striker Ethan Wheatley. The trio all featured in Helsinki but injury cost Wheatley his place against Rosenborg. Collyer, Gore, and Wheatley were involved in an under-21s game at Altrincham rather than travel to Sweden. Devaney scored in Norway and was excellent in two appearances in central defence. The same is also true of midfield pair Dan Gore and Toby Collyer, plus England Under-20s striker Ethan Wheatley. The same is also true of Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher, who are at the top of the list of young players with the potential to make a significant impact on Manchester United. The focus remains on their performance in the pre-season match, with the team’s overall performance being closely monitored as the season progresses.
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Source: BBC Football
