Say what you like about Erik ten Hag, and many people do, but he does always appear to put his trust in youth.
His Ajax side were something else during their run to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals, and he continues to blood the youngsters at Man United if he feels that they are worthy of a place in the first-team squad.
If he’s remembered for nothing else should the axe fall, he should at least be talked up for his fearlessness as a manager when it comes to throwing untested youngsters in at the deep end.
Kobbie Mainoo and Omari Forson are just two of many players that the Dutchman has wanted to run the rule over in the senior set-up, and as the Manchester Evening News note, Bendito Mantato could be next off the Red Devils production line.
Ten Hag taking a look at Bendito Mantato into first-team training
At just 16 years of age, Mantato has been brought into the first-team training set-up this week, ahead of United’s fixture against Everton.
There’s no suggestion that ten Hag will let the right winger – who has earned comparisons to Bukayo Saka for his style of play – off the leash against the Toffees, but allowing him to train with the first-team is perhaps the first step in introducing Mantato to the big time.
United have always prided themselves on the quality of players in their academy, and it’s about time the club started to lean on that hotbed of talent again.
