Kid’s a baller
Ole: Mason will play with plums in Euro shoot-out
Teenage hotshot Mason Greenwood has been urged to show he’s a man and play with a “pair of plums”.
The Manchester United kid has fired 18 goals already this season and is set for a plum role against Leicester in today’s Champions League shoot-out.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now wants his young striker to prove he has the balls to cope when the real pressure is on.
The Old Trafford gaffer insists his young team should use the titanic clash with the Foxes as a dress rehearsal for win-or-bust games in the future.
If United lose and Chelsea avoid defeat against Wolves, Solskjaer’s men will miss out.
But the Norwegian boss is trusting the likes of 18-year-old Greenwood to show no fear.
He said: “Mason has shown that temperament and mental preparation – how you approach the game – are vital.
“When you’re Brandon Williams, when you’re Mason – one of the young kids who have come through this academy – they have no fear.
“We want them to express their talents, we want them to take risks, we want them to play with … a pair of plums, to put it that way.”
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are also in lethal form as United chase down a place at Europe’s top table.
But Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers has reassured fans the club will still attract top talent – regardless of Champions League qualification.
The former Celtic boss said: “Even if there was no European football, Leicester City is a very attractive proposition.
“Forget the Champions League and Europa League for a moment, this is a fantastic club that has ambitions and is moving forward, step by step.
“We would love to be in that Champions League bracket but we know how hard it is to sustain that.”
Rodgers knows the threat presented by Martial, Greenwood & Co but insisted: “We have a threat as well and it’s something to think about.
“We have one shot to make it into the Champions League – against United, one of the superpowers of world football. That, in itself, tells you how well the players have done this season.”