Manchester United host Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday night, and a 15-year-old is set to be involved in the game.
After overcoming Arsenal on penalties at the Emirates Stadium in the last round, Manchester United set up a tie with Leicester, who convincingly beat QPR 6-2 in their respective game.
The pair have played each other twice at Old Trafford already this season, in both the Premier League and League Cup. Current Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy actually managed Manchester United on both of those occasions as interim boss, before being appointed as Steve Cooper’s successor. Manchester United won both games 5-2 and 3-0.
Manchester United could face a 15-year-old Leicester player
A club well-known for its history of bringing young players through the academy, Manchester United’s clash with Leicester will also feature a 15-year-old – though for the Foxes, not the Red Devils.
Speaking to the media on Thursday in his pre-match press conference, Van Nistelrooy revealed that 15-year-old Jeremy Monga will be on the substitutes bench after impressing in the U18s and U21s sides teams this term, as well as in first team training. He will be joined by 16-year-old Jake Evans, too.
“The FA Cup is also fantastic to add young players into my squad, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old,” Van Nistelrooy said. “They’re going to be part of the squad, on the bench, tomorrow.
“It’s an occasion where these things can happen, opportunities for players. They have names! The 15-year-old is Jeremy Monga and the 16-year-old is Jakes Evans.
“The moment I came, coming from the Netherlands, it’s a country where you develop players and they sign for teams in the bigger leagues. In my time in PSV, it was great to be part of the development of Cody Gakpo, Noni Madueke, Xavi Simons, Jarrod Branthwaite, Johan Bakayoko, Ismael Saibari, it’s fantastic as a manager, working with these lads.”
Despite his age, Monga won’t be the club’s youngest-ever player if he does manage to feature in the game. Ashley Chambers was a week younger than Monga when he made his Leicester debut in 2005.
The youngest-ever FA Cup player, meanwhile, was a full year younger than Monga is now. When Carshalton Athletic left-back Paris Hamilton-Downes started in a 4-1 first round defeat to Boston United in November 2019, he was a staggering 13 years, 11 months and one day old.
In FourFourTwo’s view, it would be good to see a youngster given an opportunity to make their debut on Friday, though the circumstances need to be right. Van Nistelrooy is likely just giving Monga and Evans exposure to the first team environment, with game time unlikely.
