Manchester United legend Roy Keane has become the latest figure to rally behind Anthony Elanga’s spectacular rise into the first team, with the Swede impressing once again in his side’s 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday.
The 20-year-old created United’s opener tonight as he broke into space with his frightening pace to perfectly deliver the ball to the on-running Bruno Fernandes.
Keane was high in praise of Elanga before the game and following the 90-minute affair, the Irish legend has now offered the youngster some advice by comparing his rise to Marcus Rashford’s in 2016.
🗣 “Especially if you mix your game up, which he does well.”
Roy Keane discusses the brilliance of Anthony Elanga.👏 pic.twitter.com/5SpSZnBHAR
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 2, 2022
Read more: Statistical view: Nemanja Matic impressed in 3-0 Old Trafford bow
“Obviously, Marcus has had a difficult spell, he’s been very, very poor,” he told Sky Sports, via Football Daily. “When you think of Rashford when he first got in the team, Rashford used that quite a bit.
“But now he stopped going in behind, he wants to get on the ball, he wants to get a feel for it. When you are defending and people are playing in front of you all the time, it’s quite easy.
“It’s when you’re sprinting in behind you, that’s going to cause you all sorts of problems. Especially when you mix your game up, which he (Elanga) does quite well.”
Elanga’s rise is comparable to Rashford’s, with both players being offered a chance after first-team regulars were made unavailable due to injury or disciplinary action.
Elanga shares Rashford’s raw quality and although the end product that Rashford developed in the following years has yet to come for Elanga, he remains possibly the only silver lining to this season for Manchester United.
