‘Don’t rush Greenwood’

MANCHESTER United’s young forward Mason Greenwood has all the qualities to have a successful career but he needs to be given time to flourish after making his breakthrough in the senior team this season, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said yesterday.

Greenwood, 18, has scored nine goals for United in all competitions this season and he is the club’s leading goal scorer in the Europa League with four goals.

His eye-catching performances have led to calls for him to be handed his senior England debut and included in the squad for the Euros but Solskjaer said the youngster first needs to focus on improving himself.

“I think Mason will have a top and long career,” Solskjaer said ahead of today’s FA Cup third round replay with Wolverhampton Wanderers. “Let the boy settle in now first before we talk about England and the Euros.

“His focus has to be on playing more for us, improving. When he plays more for us that’ll happen by itself. He’s just been picked for the Under-21s so he’s focusing on his football.”

Despite losing two strikers – Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez – to Inter Milan in the off season, Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have stepped up.

Rashford, who made his 200th appearance for United over the weekend, already has 22 goals for club and country this season while Martial has scored 11 goals in all competitions.

Solskjaer confirmed captain Ashley Young would miss out with injury but was hopeful that longterm absentee Eric Bailly, sidelined since July with a knee injury, would be fit for Sunday’s clash at league leaders Liverpool.

“He’s very close, he might be back for the weekend,” the Norwegian manager said.

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