Greenwood aims to follow in fleet footsteps of Ron
UNITED rolled back the years with their emphatic victory over Brighton on Tuesday night.
A dazzling attacking display saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his side stretch their unbeaten run to 15 matches as they showed all the arrogance, skill and determination which made the side so clinical under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Just like Ferguson’s last great team this one is bursting with individual talent throughout the spine of the team, with a couple of world-class players helping to bring the best out of a squad striving for success. With tame title challenges, neutrals had began to sympathise with United’s faltering form, their resurgence is testament to a squad all fighting for the same thing, trophies.
It was the third goal which will stand the test of time as one so synonymous with the entire ethos of the club, with clips of United’s iconic third goal against Arsenal in 2009 immediately regaining traction on social media as Bruno Fernandes wheeled away in celebration.
Fernandes emulated compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo with this finish, while it was modern street striker Mason Greenwood who played Wayne Rooney’s role with a burst of pace and a perfectly-weighted cross.
Rather fittingly Greenwood’s six goals for United this season represent the most by a player aged 18 or younger in a single Premier League season since Rooney scored nine for Everton in 2003-04, but it is Ronaldo who is driving him on as well.
The teenager’s opening goal at the AMEX saw him bamboozle Brighton defenders on the wing before slamming a shot in at the near-post, it really was like watching Ronaldo 11 years ago.
Ever since his breakthrough in the
Mason Greenwood
youth team United knew Greenwood represented a generational talent, but to back up such skill with mature performances on the pitch is what really matters.
The 18-year-old found himself in a similar situation to the one which Ronaldo did upon his arrival at Old Trafford, both exceptional talents, but both struggling to make an impact in the physical surroundings of the Premier League.
Over lockdown the United striker looked to emulate the club legend’s own body transformation and bulked up and the results have been clear.
“We know Mason Greenwood can score goals like this but he is getting stronger, lockdown helped him,” Solskjaer said after the Brighton win. “He had time to fill out and you can see the benefit from it. He will be exciting to follow.”
Some players have a football brain, while others have a football body. If an individual can achieve both then they are destined to go down as one of the game’s greats, and it is a path which Greenwood is already on course for.
To even achieve half of what Ronaldo did at Old Trafford would be remarkable for Greenwood, but after another mesmerising display it would be ridiculous to rule it out.