Gamble paid off ace from pack

eye for a pass and ability to control a game.

With his sumptuous screamer against Celtic, he has now rippled the net six times, five of those coming in his last 12 outings.

Levitt is out of contract at Old Trafford this summer and it remains to see what the future holds for the Wales star.

Courts has made it clear he wants Levitt back next season to build a team around the precocious playmaker.

All of which makes every moment of Welsh wizardry something of a double-edged sword.

It is inconceivable that Levitt – a full international with a penchant for shining on the big occasion – will not be attracting interest from south of the border. From teams with deeper pockets than United.

The Terrors, however, can offer European football and the opportunity to be the heartbeat of a football club at a young age.

How big a draw could that prove to be?

Rory MacLeod grasped his big

chance

Any United fan with even a passing interest in the club’s endeavours at under-18 level will have seen the name Rory MacLeod with regularity this year.

The 16-year-old has been a goal machine in the CAS Under-18s Elite League in recent weeks and richly merited his first-ever start for the senior side.

It was another landmark for MacLeod, who became United’s youngest ever player when he entered the fray as a substitute against Motherwell in February.

And the tireless forward was not cowed by the challenge posed by the new champions of Scotland in the slightest.

Charged with dropping deep and making life difficult for Callum McGregor, he snapped into challenges, was tidy on the ball and when the chance arose, never afraid to get a shot away.

MacLeod rattled the base of the post in the second half, inches away from an unforgettable moment.

Nevertheless, he can be immensely proud of his showing and will now link up with United team-mates Lewis O’Donnell and Craig Moore to represent Scotland at the U17 European Championships in Turkey.

It will be another formative experience for a teenager bursting with promise.

goal that guarantees a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying ties next season.