Pellistri Proves He’s Ready For Senior Debut With His Performance vs Man City U23s

By Naveen Kelvin | December 15, 2020
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacts.

Reuters/Lee Smith

Facundo Pellistri is slowly gathering his laurels to potentially earn his place in Man Utd’s senior team. Purchased late into the summer transfer window, the teenager was viewed as a potential makeshift acquisition for the right-wing after the abysmal failure to acquire Jadon Sancho.

However, despite the winter transfer drawing nearer, he has yet to see his chance on the pitch under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, even as the likes of Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani, and Alex Telles are maturing into first-team regulars.

Of course, his age and relative inexperience always made that to be the case but the recent turn of events could see a change in his fortunes.

Pellistri certainly seems to have earned his place to start for Man Utd. The 18-year-old has been in blistering form with the U-23s as of late, having netted three goals already and that too in consecutive games.

In fact, his latest one came during a “mini-derby” that put the youth side against Man City’s elite development squad. The United youngsters did what their senior colleagues did as well, albeit with goals as the game ended 2-2.

Fans stormed to Twitter to let their appreciation for the Uruguayan international known. Many let out pleas for him to be given a start in one of the upcoming games for the Red Devils.

 

In fact, Solskjær does have plenty of fixtures through which he could try and give the starlet some coveted senior minutes. While the upcoming Premier League fixture against Sheffield United probably isn’t the most likely avenue for that, other domestic fixtures could provide the opportunity.

The upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-finals against Everton is certainly a potential affair as is their FA Cup meeting against Watford in the new year.

If he does impress, Solskjær could view him as a valuable option for squad rotation with the Europa League demotion putting the club’s already crowded fixture list into more disarray.