Garnacho, Mainoo and Hojlund:

Managing the burden on Man

United’s brightest talents
It was only right that on the day Manchester United ended a mostly
miserable season on a positive note, their match-winners should be
two academy graduates who have brightened up the gloom
throughout.

Even before Saturday’s victory in the FA Cup final, Alejandro

Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo were at the centre of one of the most
memorable images of United’s season.

The sight of Garnacho, Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund sitting together

on an advertising hoarding, celebrating Manchester United’s second in
a 3-0 win over West Ham United in February with arms around each
other’s shoulders, was described as a window into the club’s future.

Yet it was also a vision of its present. Those three players — then 18, 19
and 20 years old — ended the Premier League season among the top
eight in United’s squad for minutes played.

In all competitions, Garnacho and Hojlund broke the 3,000-minute

barrier. Only Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot had more time on the
pitch among outfield players at United.