“Oh no, not Leicester…”
We have a few additions to the Loan Watch list as a few of our youngsters have been sent out after United were knocked out of the Capital One Cup, limiting playing time at Old Trafford for the promising kids.
Championship promotion hopefuls Leicester City have signed both Jesse Lingard and Michael Keane on one-month loan deals. The 19-year-olds made their debuts after completing their moves in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium, and City boss Nigel Pearson said they come from Old Trafford with a great pedigree.
Both could make their home debuts on Saturday when City entertain East Midlands rivalsNottingham Forest in a lunchtime kick-off. Keane, however, was substituted as a precaution at the Reebok Stadium with a tight hamstring, and will be assessed later this week.
“Michael has had a good introduction to the Championship and this team,” said Pearson.
“Michael had a tight hamstring so we decided to protect him.
“If we have a player capable of going on and playing that position I don’t see the point of risking a longer-term injury.
“I am sure both he and Jesse have enjoyed sampling the Championship. They played their part in a very good team performance and, hopefully, we will see a lot more from them.
“They are coming from probably the best club in terms of producing young players.
“Whenever you can add the type of vitality that players like them can bring, and they are good players as well, then you do it.
“The quality is there. It doesn’t matter what age they are if they are good enough.”
City defender Ritchie De Laet knows the duo from his time with United and said they were among the rising stars coming through the ranks at United.
“They are good players,” he said. “Michael proved himself against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup recently and he did it again at Bolton.
“It was a great performance. Jesse is still a young player as well but he is very good on the ball and I think you will see a lot of both of them.”
De Laet said City had been buoyed by their performance at Bolton on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s East Midlands derby, despite being unable to convert their dominance into a victory.
“We had the better chances and their keeper pulled off some good saves,” he said. “He kept them in the game.
“There was more drive and the energy was back. We controlled the midfield. That wasn’t there in the last two games so, now it is back, hopefully we can push on this Saturday.”
Robbie Brady started his second spell with Hull City on Tuesday night, just hours after the Tigers announced his arrival in an emergency loan deal.
The Republic of Ireland international came on for the last 16 minutes to help Hull see out a home Championship win over Wolves, another club reportedly interested in his services. Brady is surrounded by familiar faces as he rejoins the Tigers – not only the team-mates he played with during a successful stint at the KC Stadium last term but also United goalkeeper and fellow loanee Ben Amos who played throughout Tuesday’s 2-1 victory. Amos kept a clean sheet for Hull in their 1-0 defeat of Barnsley at the weekend. Amos was alert to danger and made a couple of good stops to keep the Tykes at bay.
“I think Manchester United going out of the League Cup was probably the catalyst for coming back here,” Brady told City’s official website. “The time was right to come out on loan and I’m just looking forward to playing and helping Hull City along the right way.
“A couple of phone calls were made [on Monday] and, as soon as I found out there was a chance of coming back here, I was more than happy to head on over.”
Brady is hungry to play a part but, aware of the advances made by the Tigers since his last spell, he knows he may need to be patient.
“It’s a bit different here this season,” said Brady. “There’s a few new faces and they’re playing some great football going forward.
“It’s going to be hard for me to get into the side the way they’re playing. They’re a very good attacking side and I’d love to get involved with that.
“Everyone’s bubbling here and it’s a great run that we’re on. We’ll take that to Cardiff on Saturday and I don’t see why another three points can’t be on the cards.”
Brady’s best hope of a starting berth may come as a left wing-back with injury concerns still hanging over Liam Rosenior and Ahmed Elmohamady.
The deeper position has become familiar to the 20-year-old after Sir Alex Ferguson identified him as a possible left-back this summer.
Brady feels he has adapted well to the role, and said: “I feel comfortable there and if I have to play there I don’t mind, I’ll do a job.
“When I’ve been in and around the first team, I’ve been coached more as a left-back but in my head I’m still an attacking player.
“Left wing-back would be a good position but I need to get as fit as I can to play there.”
A breakthrough season with the Tigers in 2011-12 has been the platform for Brady to push his fledgling career on.
As well as making his debut for Manchester United in September, he has also won three senior caps with the Republic of Ireland.
An initial one-month loan spell with City has been left open for an extension and he hopes further experience can be sought back in East Yorkshire.
“I’m still the same person but I have made some steps and reached a few goals that I’d set myself at the end of last season.
“I’ve achieved those and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards here.
“Being around the United first team has been brilliant, it’s been great to be involved all season.
“That’s helped my experience but it’s important to go out and play games.”
Another mover was Sean McGinty who joined Carlisle United on loan and was an unused substitute during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Preston. The 19-year-old featured in the Under-21s’ 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Monday at right-back and will provide options in defence for the Cumbrians.
“Manchester United know all about us and they know we look after their players when they come up here,” manager Greg Abbott told Carlisle’s official website. “I’ve been able to have Sean watched and he has a great physical presence with his size and with the way he plays the game.
“He is very highly thought of down there and, hopefully, he will join us and fit into the squad at a time when we have picked up a few injuries.”
McGinty will wear the No23 shirt at his new club and is scheduled to stay with Carlisle until Tuesday 4 December. The teenager was with Oxford at the start of the campaign and played for Morecambe on loan last season but didn’t get much playing time which makes the move up to League One a little strange, to say the least. Corry Evans, Oliver Norwood and James Chester have all previously been loaned from United to the Brunton Park outfit.
Under-21s boss Warren Joyce is looking forward to seeing his players get experience at a higher level. “It’s a good opportunity for them,” Joyce informed MUTV. “Obviously we’ve had some players this year where we’re now looking at a time where some can get out on loan and play in the league.
“They can take themselves onto another level really and see how they perform at that level.”
“Robbie was great in the first bit up until Christmas but then he didn’t do as well,” added Joyce. “Certainly, he was a crowd favourite up there and knows what to expect. Some of our old players are still up there and Hull are riding high in the league. It’s good to have the pressure of being at a side at the top of the league with expectations.
“It’s the same with Leicester. They have had our players before on loan. They like them and know what they are going to get with our players. It’s a great opportunity for Michael and Jesse to play in that pressure situation there as well.”
Fabio da Silva is still yet to make his comeback from the hamstring injury that has kept him out for the past six weeks. The Brazilian was due back last week but didn’t manage to make it into the QPR squad to face Reading but should return for their must-win game at Stoke on Saturday.
Luke Giverin and Gyliano van Velzen and played the full 90 minutes in the defeat by Royal Antwerp match against KSV Roeselare (1-2) in the Belgian second division.
Reece Brown was not included in the Coventry squad for the FA Cup first round tie against Arlesey due to injury and he also missed his side’s 3-1 win over Crawley on Tuesday which lifted them out of the relegation zone.
John Cofie sat on the bench for the whole game in Sheffield United’s FA Cup first round tie against Bristol Rovers which they won 2-1. Cofie was again on the bench for the entirety of Tuesday’s league stalemate with Swindon.