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Goal takes at a look at the bright young talents waiting in the wings at United, including some who have already made an impression on Jose Mourinho

Manchester United have a long history of producing players through their storied academy, with 3,912 consecutive first-team games stretching back to October 1937 featuring at least one former member of their youth system in the squad.

The likes of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Scott McTominay have been regulars in the United senior ranks this term as that trend continues, but the prospects remain good for a longer-term presence as well thanks to the strides being made by some of their current academy stars.

Kieran McKenna's free-scoring under-18s have remained largely unaffected by the graduation of many of their better players to Ricky Sbragia's under-23 squad, and that in itself says much about the quality on display in the younger ranks.

Below,  Goal  looks at 10 of the greatest teenage talents in the Manchester United system.

GettyAidan Barlow

A goal-scoring attacking midfielder, Barlow is one of the most exciting young players on United’s books. He thrust himself into the spotlight with a hat-trick against Newcastle and two belters against Liverpool in the latter stages of a 2016-17 under-18 campaign in which he ended as top scorer and has netted nine more times this term. Few 18-year-olds exhibit such confidence with the ball at their feet.

GettyTahith Chong

After overcoming a serious knee injury, Chong has recently made the step up to the reserve ranks and has continued to sparkle. His strength, speed and rangy running style make for a wonderful vision on the ball and he also possesses fantastic footballing instinct, rarely switching off and often making opposition sides pay for lapses of concentration.

The Dutchman clearly has a fantastic future in the game, and his fearlessness makes him a great team-mate to have for those in the final third.

Read our in-depth profile here: Who is Tahith Chong? The Man Utd starlet closing in on first-team debut

GettyAngel Gomes

With two first-team substitute appearances already under his belt, the 17-year-old is well known to Manchester United fans as one of their stars of the future. His wonderful ability on the ball and priceless vision more than make up for his diminutive stature, and he has made a seamless rise to reserve team football this season.

No youngster is guaranteed to become a star at first-team level, but the England under-18 international appears destined to be a household name in the future.

Read our in-depth profile here: Who is Angel Gomes? The Man Utd wonderkid with a big future

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GettyMason Greenwood

Some players spend their entire career attempting to master the ability to control a ball the way Greenwood can with his wand of a left foot. His rise in prominence in the under-18s this season has seen him net 15 goals in 17 appearances, including seven in his last four games as he has been employed as a centre-forward rather than his previous slot as a number 10.

Still just 16, he has plenty more time to learn his trade but hopes are high for him.

Read our in-depth profile here: Who is Mason Greenwood? Introducing the 16-year-old star turn of Man Utd's academy title win

The Champions League sees Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani of PSG face Liverpool's Salah, Mane and Firmino – are they among the best triumvirates ever?

GettyMSN

Neymar may have broken up Barcelona's band of brothers last season when he fled to France after a shock €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain, but the legend of the MSN partnership will live on.

With the brilliant Brazilian lining up in attack alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, the Blaugrana won the Champions League, Club World Cup and La Liga (twice), tearing defences to shreds with their incredible pace, skill and movement

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While MSN was forming at Camp Nou, Real Madrid saw their own attacking triumvirate become an institution within the Spanish capital.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has since moved to Juventus, was the undisputed star of the show but the addition of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema added more blistering pace, power and, of course, goals to a forward line that fired the Blancos to four Champions League triumphs in five years.

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Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini formed a formidable defence in front of legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon as Juventus set about re-establishing themselves as a major European force.

Together, the BBC provided the foundation on which the Bianconeri's resurgence was founded, helping the Old Lady win six successive Scudetti before Bonucci departed for AC Milan last year only to return this summer.

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GettyAC Milan's Dutch gold

The arrival of Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit at San Siro in 1987 proved instrumental in AC Milan winning a first Serie A title in nine years, but the signing of Frank Rijkaard propelled the Rossoneri to glory on a world stage.

The Dutch trio became the stars of Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful team, helping the Italian outfit win two European Cups and two Club World Cup crowns.

The BCCI ombudsman, Justice AP Shah, has asked the board to take an “unequivocal undertaking” from spinner Harbhajan Singh that he will no longer be in the management of the sports apparel company, Bhajji Sports

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Feb-2016The BCCI ombudsman, Justice AP Shah, has asked the board to take an “unequivocal undertaking” from spinner Harbhajan Singh that he will no longer be in the management of the sports apparel company, Bhajji Sports, and will not be associated with the company, even in terms of sponsorship, for the duration of his contract with the Indian board. Shah also took the opportunity to tell the BCCI that he had received a lot of allegations similar to the complaint against Harbhajan, especially from the state associations, and suggested that players, coaches, selectors and administrators make prior disclosures of similar associations with companies or academies.Shah’s decision came after a conflict of interest allegation was filed last month questioning Harbhajan’s links to a sports apparel company that sponsors various state teams in domestic cricket.In a complaint filed against Harbhajan in January, Mumbai-based activist Niraj Gunde stated that Bhajji Sports had reportedly sponsored six Ranji Trophy sides. Shah’s ruling noted that the company was owned by Mrs Avtar Kaur, Harbhajan’s mother, and the company was started before the spinner’s current contract with the board came into effect and before the present rules regarding conflict of interest were framed. Harbhajan was given a Grade C contract by the BCCI in November for the 2015-16 period.”The Ombudsman notes that this company appears to be run, not by Mr Singh, but by his mother,” Shahs said in an e-mail sent to Harbhajan, Gunde and the BCCI on Wednesday. “It must be mentioned that several cases have been brought to the attention of the Ombudsman where companies associated with cricket management or sporting apparel, or cricket coaching/training academies, are run in the names of relatives of cricketers, with which the cricketer is also associated or connected. In many of these cases, although the company is owned by someone else, it is named after the cricketer in question. In the present case, the Ombudsman notes that the two news reports submitted by the applicant show Mr Singh’s association with Bhajji Sports. The veracity of the news reports is not challenged by Mr Singh.”According to Shah the only course of action he would recommend for Harbhajan was to dissociate himself from Bhajji Sports completely as long as he had a BCCI contract. “Given the facts and circumstances of the case, the Ombudsman believes that the best course of action may be that the BCCI take an unequivocal undertaking from Mr Singh that he will no way be involved in the management of the company, Bhajji Sports, and that under no circumstances will he be associated with the company’s products (including by way of sponsorship), so long as his contract with the BCCI is alive,” Shah said.Making a broader point in his ruling on similar conflict of interest situations, Shah stressed the need for players, coaches, selectors, administrators at both national and state levels to disclose any conflict in context of the rules laid down on the issue by the BCCI.”The Ombudsman recommends that all concerned individuals (cricketers, selectors,coaches, and administrators) should be required to make standard disclosures about their affiliations in the context of the conflict of interest rules (which may pertain, for example, to cricket coaching/training academies, sports management companies, sports apparel manufacturers, etc.),” Shah said.”If the disclosures reveal that an individual does have such an association, they may be asked to either terminate their association with such companies/academies, or asked to resign from their position as cricketer/selector/coach/administrator, as covered by the conflict of interest rules.”

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo has explained he has struggled to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League since his switch from Stuttgart.

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Endo finds Premier League to be physicalHas struggled to make impact in Klopp's sideLiverpool face Fulham this weekendWHAT HAPPENED?

Endo reiterated that he is very happy to be at Liverpool, despite his bit-part role in the side this season, and that he is still adjusting to the speed of the Premier League. A late transfer window signing, the Japanese international was brought in to fill a holding midfielder void left by the departing Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT ENDO SAID

Speaking on his struggles, Endo said: "Yes, it's harder than I thought, but I'm very happy to be here. Physically, it's speedy, so it's very hard to adapt but it's the Premier League and I keep trying and keep playing and I'll get better. I'm already 30 years old but I feel I have a chance to grow as a football player so I'm so happy to be here and I can improve."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Endo formed part of the major midfield overhaul that Liverpool underwent in the summer which also saw Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch arrive in Merseyside. Departing the club included several midfielders; Henderson and Fabinho, as well as Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Fabio Carvalho and Arthur Melo.

While Mac Allister and Szoboszlai have stolen the headlines, Endo has struggled to find consistent game time and form. However, there is an expectation Endo will be given greater game time over the busy Christmas period.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool sit third in the Premier League and play Fulham on Sunday afternoon hoping to put pressure on league leaders Arsenal. If he plays, Endo will be hoping to put in a strong performance to remind Jurgen Klopp of his place in the side.

Kylian Mbappe appeared to be enjoying his time off from Paris Saint-Germain duty, as his proposed transfer to Real Madrid edges closer.

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Mbappe enjoying down timeMove to Real Madrid a near-formalitySet to meet France President Macron(C)Getty imagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The capital club are preparing to take on third-placed Monaco on Friday, where they will hope to bounce back from a disappointing draw to Rennes last time out. Time spent relaxing off the pitch is widely considered to be just as important as the strict hours on it, and Mbappe appeared to be making the most of his free period by playing pool and drinking tea.

AdvertisementWHAT MBAPPE POSTED

The mercurial Frenchman posted those pictures in an update on Instagram alongside the caption: "Life is good".

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Mbappe's comment appears to refer to the here and now, the French forward's future looks to be finally wrapped up. He is set to complete a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid when his PSG contract expires in the summer, thus putting an end to rumours dating back almost three years. Mbappe is thought to have snubbed a mega-money offer from the Parisians in order to become the next 'Galactico' in Madrid.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Mbappe is set to meet President of France Emmanuel Macron today, who in the past has tried at length to convince him to stay in Paris. However, that appearance is reportedly part of a meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim, with PSG chief and fellow countryman Nasser Al-Khelaifi also in attendance.

Ottis Gibson has signed a new three-year deal to keep him as West Indies coach until 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2013Ottis Gibson has signed a new three-year deal to keep him as West Indies coach until 2016.Gibson came close to becoming the new Warwickshire director of cricket last week, having attended a second interview on his way to Australia, but the WICB were keen to retain his services and he will now take West Indies beyond the 2015 World Cup.He became West Indies coach in early 2010, replacing John Dyson, having been England’s bowling coach since 2007. Under his charge West Indies have shown recent improvements, notably by winning last year’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, although he has had to contend with his share of off-field issues such as the stand-off with Chris Gayle and the impact of the IPL on the Caribbean season.”I enjoy being involved in West Indies cricket and it is something I’m very excited about considering what we have achieved – especially in the last year – beating New Zealand at home in all three formats and winning the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka,” Gibson said. “This confirms that we are making progress and I am happy to continue with the team for the next three years as we look to take West Indies cricket forward.””There is a lot to do and things to look forward to. There is the Champions Trophy in England this year, we will be defending the World T20 title in Bangladesh next year and there is the World Cup in 2015. These are things we have talked about and these are things the selectors have been planning for.”We will also look to climb the ICC rankings in all three formats. This is something we have to strive for, to make the move up. There is a lot more one-day cricket than Test cricket this year, but next year there are quite a few more Test matches, so these will be opportunities for the players to perform and for the team to progress. You set goals and the real enjoyment is when you achieve those goals and see progress being made.”Michael Muirhead, the WICB chief executive, said: “Ottis has added significant value to the development of the West Indies team during his tenure and we are delighted to have secured his services for another three years.”Most notably is that he led the implementation of a system of professionalism within the team unit and curbed the negative results, which we were experiencing with some frequency.”While there have also been some challenges along the way, these are not to be unexpected in such a dynamic and high pressure environment and the WICB looks forward to the continued development of the West Indies team through this next critical phase under Ottis’ stewardship at the elite-team level.”West Indies are currently on tour in Australia for a one-day series then return to the Caribbean for a home season that includes a full tour by Zimbabwe, a triangular one-day tournament involving India and Sri Lanka, plus a Test series against Pakistan.

The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour

Umar Farooq05-Dec-2011The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour, with the incumbent in place for next January’s series against England. Dav Whatmore is seen as the front-runner for the top job with Mohsin Khan, Aaqib Javed and Julien Fountain tipped to get the batting, bowling and fielding roles.Col Naushad Ali, a member of the committee and currently assistant manager of the national team, said the committee had made its decision. “The person we have picked as head coach is very well suited to Pakistan,” Ali said. “He is the one who suits the temperament of Pakistan cricket and [that] of its team.”Whatmore, currently coach of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, was linked with the post on an earlier occasion, when the PCB eventually picked Geoff Lawson. This time, his name is believed to be favoured by the committee members – Ali, Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Ramiz Raja (though the last-named has been out of loop while on tour as a commentator).When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Whatmore refused to shed any light on the issue. “I can’t say anything,” he said. “I am in no position to say anything.”The committee – which is believed to favour home-grown batting and bowling coaches, given Pakistan’s traditional strengths in those disciplines – is yet to conduct a formal interview with any of the candidates, but is understood to have been in touch through mail and phone. It is believed the PCB had set up a meeting between Alam and Whatmore under the Ijaz Butt regime but it was cancelled following the change in administration.The appointment of a coach will fill a slot that’s been lying vacant for the past five months, since Waqar Younis stepped down on health grounds. Mohsin Khan was named interim coach and it’s understood he wants to continue in some coaching capacity rather than return to a selectorial role.”I think I have done fairly a good job,” Khan told ESPNcricinfo last month. “I haven’t applied for the coaching job but if they [the PCB] ask me to carry on, I’d love to do so.”

After having been ignored for the World Cup, Ishant Sharma is itching to get back in to India’s limited-overs side, and is looking forward to making an impact in the IPL to launch his comeback

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2011After having been ignored from the Indian limited-overs’ side in recent times, Ishant Sharma is looking forward to making an impact in the IPL to launch his comeback. “Cricket is my passion and the hunger to be part of the best possible action is natural,” Ishant was quoted in the website of Deccan Chargers, who he will represent in the IPL this year. “There comes a time in every sportsperson’s life when one has to prove to oneself. I am probably going through that phase and would like to challenge myself in the upcoming IPL to win back my place in the Indian side.”Though he has been a regular member of the Test team, Ishant has not played an ODI since August 2009 and has proved to be expensive in the format, losing out to the likes of Praveen Kumar, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel. But Ishant has taken the setbacks in his stride.”Being in and out of sides is part and parcel of a sportsperson’s life and I’d like to take it on the chin,” he said. “I am just trying to forget the past and start afresh. Right now, the focus is on IPL and I want to give it my 100%. I will do my best for Hyderabad.”Despite having a Twenty20 economy rate close to eight runs an over, Ishant feels that the format is as much a challenge for the batsmen as it is for the bowlers. “You’ve got to go with your instincts, believe in your strong points and bowl to your strength rather than think about the batsmen’s plus points.”I have worked on and added variations to my bowling armoury and will hopefully execute them to good effect in the IPL. The slower ones, the yorkers are all key deliveries in this format and you have to use them judiciously. You’ve got to change your line and length constantly and plan every ball.”The margin of error for a fast bowler is minimal but I feel the key is to keep it simple. One has to be on top of the game and not complicate things. Zaheer Khan’s approach at the recently concluded World Cup is a case in point.”Deccan play their first game against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on April 9.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second Twenty20 between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale15-Oct-2011Match factsOctober 16, Johannesburg
Start time 1430 (1230 GMT)Graeme Smith is 42 runs shy of 1000 Twenty20 international runs•AFPBig PictureSouth Africa were rusty in the first game, which was to be expected after such a long lay-off. They missed chances in the field and, JP Duminy aside, didn’t hit their straps with the bat. But on a better batting pitch in Johannesburg, they will be able to use the pace from Australia’s fast men and feel the ball coming off the bat. Hashim Amla now has a match under his belt as the country’s captain and he will lead with more confidence at the Wanderers. The key for the hosts is to produce a more consistent performance – Duminy, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe played well in the series opener, but they cannot be expected to carry the side.For Cameron White’s Australia, this match presents a rare chance to win a Twenty20 series. Flying in to a country for one or two Twenty20s and then heading home could become a familiar feeling for White, who is not part of the ODI squad, and it would do his confidence a world of good to depart with a 2-0 result. Shane Watson has been told by Michael Clarke not to expect a rest any time soon, even if he feels tired after his Sri Lanka tour and Champions League commitments. Watson is not the type of player who would want a break in any case. His strong half-century in Cape Town showed the kind of form he is in, and if he and David Warner make a good start, Australia will be hard to beat.Form guideSouth Africa LLWWW
Australia WLLWLIn the spotlightSouth Africa’s batting in the first match was built around JP Duminy, who played himself in and then started finding the middle of the bat. He enjoys playing against Australia and will again be a key man at the Wanderers.David Warner finished the Champions League T20 with a pair of centuries but viewers didn’t get to enjoy his fireworks in Cape Town, where he was run out in the first over. If Warner spends a few overs at the crease in Johannesburg, expect plenty of balls to fly into the crowd.Team newsRusty Theron was a weak link in South Africa’s attack and could be under pressure from Wayne Parnell. Graeme Smith was rusty in the first game and would benefit from another outing. Richard Levi has a strong case to be included, and it could be at the expense of David Miller.South Africa (possible) 1 Hashim Amla (capt), 2 Graeme Smith, 3 JP Duminy, 4 Colin Ingram, 5 Richard Levi/David Miller, 6 Heino Kuhn (wk), 7 Johan Botha, 8 Robin Peterson, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Rusty Theron/Wayne Parnell, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe.The spinner Steve O’Keefe was given only one over in the first game, with David Hussey effectively acting as the lead spinner. That could mean the selectors will consider leaving O’Keefe out in Johannesburg, especially with a harder pitch on offer, and handing a debut to Mitchell Marsh, a powerful batsman who can also offer another seam-bowling option.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 David Hussey, 5 Cameron White (capt), 6 Steven Smith, 7 Mitchell Marsh, 8 Matthew Wade (wk), 9 James Pattinson, 10 Patrick Cummins, 11 Doug Bollinger.Pitch and conditionsThe Wanderers surface is expected to be hard and bouncy, with plenty of runs available for the batsmen. The seamers are likely to find more assistance than the spinners. The forecast is for a sunny day and a top of 27C.Stats and trivia South Africa and Australia have met in seven Twenty20 internationals. Thursday’s win by Australia was the first victory in those seven games by the away team. Graeme Smith needs 42 runs to become the third man to reach 1000 runs in Twenty20 internationals, after Brendon McCullum and Kevin Pietersen.Quotes”If we can improve 5-10% every game, we are heading in the right direction.”

A round-up of the action from the final day of the Emerging Players Tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2011A battling century from captain Ryan Carters helped Australian Institute of Sport force a draw against India Emerging Players at Endeavour Park No.2 in Townsville. However, India finished on top in the points table, thereby capping a successful series for them – they were also victorious in the Twenty20 tournament that preceded the three-day games.Australia ended the second day at 93 for 2, still 236 runs adrift of India. Carters, who was unbeaten overnight on 56, continued to look solid. He and Glenn Maxwell had added 65 before stumps on day two, and they carried on the good work on the final day, adding a further 55 before Maxwell was dismissed for 73. Any hopes that India might have had of causing a collapse were dented as Tim Armstrong joined his captain and the duo put on 87 for the fourth wicket. Carters was finally dismissed for 115, but Armstrong (75) featured in handy partnerships for the fifth and sixth wickets to deny India a win, as Australia ended the day on 328 for 7.Reeza Hendricks completed his double-century and Richard Levi reached a century but South Africa Emerging Players were not left with enough time to bowl New Zealand A out at Endeavour Park in Townsville. South Africa’s only hope of notching up their first win of the three-day leg of the tournament was to score quickly on the final day and then hope for a New Zealand collapse. But Hendricks and Levi took their time, and South Africa used up 54.2 overs in the day to get 177 runs, which put them 169 runs ahead. New Zealand lost two wickets in the 34 overs they had to bat.Hendricks’ 218 was his second double-century of the tournament and his 566-run aggregate earned him the Batsman-of-the-Tournament as well as the Player-of the-Tournament awards. India’s Iqbal Abdulla was named Bowler of the Tournament for his nine wickets.