‘England lucky to have rub of Green’

RALPH HASENHUTTL said the emergence of kids such as Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho gives England the strength of player seen in Germany and France.

The Southampton boss takes his side to Old Trafford tonight as Manchester United look to maintain their superb run, where teenager Greenwood (above) has become one of the stories of the season.

United’s rising star, 18, has smashed 16 goals in all competitions this campaign.

Only Brian Kidd, George Best and Wayne Rooney have scored more goals at a similar age for the club.

Greenwood failed to score as a late sub when United were held 1-1 by the Saints at St Mary’s in August. The striker’s goal spree has come since then with four in his last three games.

Along with Borussia Dortmund’s Sancho, it gives England two superb young guns and Hasenhuttl, the former RB Leipzig chief, said: “In all the countries, they build their academies and the development of the young players is getting better and better.

“It is not so one dimensional, it’s multi-dimensional. This development, in the end, makes for better players.

“All the managers in the youth are doing quite a good job. It’s not a coincidence. Nothing in the world comes quickly, you have to work on it.

“They do a good job and that’s why you get so much talent growing up here.

“They get physically strong here and if they have the right mindset, which is the most important thing, and that they don’t want to get too big too quick, then you have a lot of possibilities in England to be a very good player.”

Southampton have won two of their last three, including a shock win over Manchester City at home.