Darren Fletcher talks up 'amazing talent' in Man Utd academy after Shea Lacey's incredible cameo in total contrast to Ruben Amorim's derisory remarks about Red Devils' youth players

Fletcher oversaw a disappointing 2-2 draw at Burnley in his first game but almost watched his side snatch victory thanks to academy graduate Shea Lacey. The Liverpool-born winger was given his United debut under Amorim at Aston Villa last month but his second appearance was more notable as he hammered the crossbar from outside of the area at Turn Moor and then let fly again in stoppage time, narrowly missing the target.

While Amorim also handed debuts to Fletcher's son Jack and Bendito Mantato as well as fielding Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson  and Chido Obi last season, he used academy players sparingly on the whole. He only turned to the youngsters during an injury crisis this term or as he rotated the squad heavily last term in preparation for Europa League knockout games. Amorim also angered the United fanbase with less than complimentary comments about players including Amass and Obi, and when those players responded by defending their own performances on social media, he said that young players in the club felt "entitled".

Fletcher, who came through the academy himself two decades ago and has another son in the first team squad in Tyler, said the club should be extremely proud of its tradition of blooding youngsters as well as proud of its current crop of players.

Fletcher told a press conference: "I think what I see is a lot of hard-working, humble young players who aren't perfect because they're young and they're learning and they've got a lot to do. I think we ask and expect too much of young people sometimes in society and in general, and that's not a criticism of anybody, that's just my beliefs. 

"I think we have to let them learn, educate them, help them, understand they're going to make mistakes and they're going to do things that will frustrate you but through time with good guidance of coaches, family members, players in the first team squad, all of us play a part, that's our role, that's our job of developing them to be Manchester United players and Manchester United people.

"All I can say is my workings with those players as individuals and in general throughout the academy I deal with hard-working, honest, coachable, super talented kids and we've got a lot of talent in our academy and hopefully they can showcase themselves like Shea did when he came on against Burnley and so close to scoring a fantastic goal."

As well as rarely calling on the players in United's under-18 and under-21 squads, Amorim neglected some of their best known academy graduates in recent years. He forced Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the club while he didn't start Kobbie Mainoo in any Premier League matches this season.

Mainoo returned to action against Burnley after missing the previous four games due to injury and Fletcher said the midfielder was in good spirits. He explained: "He seems in a good place. Kobbie doesn’t give you much so you wouldn't know if he was in a good place or not. He’s like that, it’s just his natural way, I know him well and I have known him for a long time, I’ve seen him around the building and had conversations with him. He’s in a good place, but I know Kobbie and he knows me and Travis Binnion and he’s comfortable with this environment. He is in a good place, he’s trained well and as I say he is hard to read, so that remains to be seen."

United face Brighton in the FA Cup third round on Sunday at Old Trafford. The competition, which United have won 13 times and most recently in 2024, is their only chance of lifting a trophy this season and Fletcher stressed the importance of doing well in it. He said: "It’s an important competition and Manchester United are about winning trophies. We’ve had good success in recent years, we won it a couple of years ago and lost in the final. 

"It’s an amazing competition, the first trophy I won as a player, it is a special tournament. Not in Europe, out of the League Cup, there is the Premier League obviously but the FA Cup, it’s a trophy we should be vying to win and be giving ourselves every opportunity to win."

Fletcher expects to have the same squad available to him as against Burnley as he confirmed that neither Noussair Mazraoui nor Bryan Mbeumo will be in contention even though one of them will be heading out of the Africa Cup of Nations as Cameroon take on Morocco in the quarter-finals later on Friday.

The interim coach said that Harry Maguire could feature after he was unused substitute at Burnley but he stressed that he would have to carefully manage his minutes as he has not played since the 2-2 draw at Tottenham on November 8.