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Scott McTominay and Jesse Lingard pick their all time academy XI

by Red Billy

Manchester United academy graduates Scott McTominay and Jesse Lingard have picked their all-time greatest academy XI, with two of the current side making the team.

The duo picked the side on the Man United podcast and there were a few surprises.

The most notable absentee from the list, other than the lads themselves, was Marcus Rashford. It was Lingard’s decision to leave him out.

‘Marcus won’t be happy with you, Jess’ McTominay said.

‘I’m not getting involved!’

‘I think Marcus will be disappointed but, when he wins the Premier League, he can get in.’

Rashford was given a place on the bench.

However, 19-year-old Brandon Williams was included in the side, which is a fantastic tribute to the season he had before the coronavirus brought football to a halt.

McTominay and Lingard are probably too young to remember their choice for goalkeeper, which was David Gaskell, who played 120 games for the Red Devils between 1956 and 1969.

Gary Neville, Wes Brown and Jonny Evans made up the rest of the defence, with the duo overlooking the likes of the legendary Bill Foulkes and World Cup winner Gerard Pique.

The lads took a few liberties with the formation, opting for a 4-3-3 with David Beckham in central midfield with Paul Scholes and Paul Pogba.

They also picked midfielder Sir Bobby Charlton as centre forward of the side and put George Best on the right wing and Ryan Giggs on the left.

The substitutes were Phil Neville, Michael Clegg, Nicky Butt and Darren Fletcher, along with Rashford. There was no place in the side for the great Duncan Edwards, Mark Hughes, Nobby Stiles and Norman Whiteside.

The current crop of academy graduates could well yield a whole new side in years to come, with Dean Henderson, Ethan Laird, Teden Mengi, James Garner, Charlie Wellens, Hannibal Mejbri, Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong, Shola Shoretire, Dillon Hoogewerf and Mason Greenwood among others all showing incredible promise and talent at this stage of their careers.

Lingard and McTominay’s side

United are hoping to make Jadon Sancho the next player to wear the famous number 7 shirt. But how much do you know about the players who have worn it before? Take our quiz below to find out.


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