Debate: Who Will Make The Grade At Manchester United?

It was hit or miss from the Manchester United youngsters on Wednesday night, but they will have the chance to propel themselves into the first-team picture again.

Sir Alex Ferguson might be tempted to put some of them on the bench for the trip to Portsmouth on Saturday regardless of the 1-0 defeat to Champions League also-rans Besiktas. The whole batch will certainly be unleashed from the play pen on Tuesday for the League Cup quarter final clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The fight for a glittering Old Trafford future is cut throat  and every chance to impress must be taken. When Ferguson reviews the tape of the midweek European clash, there are a number of video nasties to compliment some promising cameo performances.

Hotshots Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda showed signs that the faith shown in them by Ferguson will not go unrewarded in the long run. Darting runs, smart inter-play and the confidence to express themselves in the spotlight were all present.

While they couldn’t find a way past the veteran Turkish goalkeeper Rustu Recber, in previous games they have proved their caliber by firing in the goals. United fans will always be in debt to Macheda after his Premier League saving heroics last season and Welbeck has netted two in five appearances this term.

The pair face a significant fight against the history books, however. No forward has come through the United ranks to establish themselves as a regular since Norman Whiteside.

Giuseppe Rossi wasn’t considered good enough even though he fits in to Marcello Lippi’s plans for Italy and Mark Hughes was sent packing to Barcelona. David Healy has broken international records for Northern Ireland, but was discarded after just one league appearance.