in

Youngest Premier League XI this season includes Man Utd wonderkids Shoretire and Greenwood – but Elanga misses out


ANTHONY ELANGA made his Premier League debut in Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Leicester, but the youth star just misses out on the youngest XI of the season.

Elanga – at 19 years, 1 month and 14 days – is the latest starlet to get a chance during the 2020-21 campaign.

This is the XI of the youngest players to feature in the Premier League this season
Anthony Elanga became one of the youngest players to feature this seasonCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement

He follows in the footsteps of team-mate Shola Shoretire who made his pro debut earlier this term.

17-year-old winger Shoretire only got on for the last few moments against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Big things are expected from the talented youngster who became the 25th-youngest Premier League player – a relative ‘veteran’ compared to record-holder Harvey Elliot – and third-youngest this season.

So who makes up a full starting XI using the youngest stars to feature in England’s top flight in the 2020-21 campaign?

Here is the Youngest XI with their ages when they made their first appearance of the season.

GK: Illan Meslier – 20 years 6 months 10 days

Unsurprisingly, the Leeds goalkeeper is the oldest member of this team with no teenagers going between the sticks so far.

Signed from Lorient in the summer to make his loan permanent, the Frenchman has missed just one game this term through illness but has shipped a whopping 42 goals – including a few through his own mistakes.

RB: Ki-Jana Hoever – 18 years 8 months 9 days

The Wolves right-back moved to Molineux as Diogo Jota headed the other way to Liverpool.

He has largely been understudy to Nelson Semedo this season but got his first runout in the 4-0 defeat to West Ham in September.

CB: Eric Garcia – 19 years 8 months 18 days

Somehow the Manchester City centre-back only turned 20 in January but racked up the majority of his 32 senior appearances for the club last season.

He would no doubt have more than nine this term if he wasn’t preparing to rejoin Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the season.

CB: Allan Tchaptchet – 19 years 1 months 12 days

Joining Garcia at centre-back is the Southampton defender, who doesn’t have the best record in the top flight.

In his only appearance, Saints lost 9-0 to Manchester United – although he only came on with 12 minutes to go and therefore was on the pitch for three of them.

LB: Luke Thomas – 19 years 4 months 23 days

The left-back looks has followed the Ben Chilwell progression line from Leicester academy to first team, making his debut during Project Restart.

Injuries at various parts of the season to Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne and more recently James Justin, local-lad Thomas has seized his chances under Brendan Rodgers and looks an accomplished player – he got his first goal for his beloved Foxes in the Europa League group stages.

FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

RM: Mason Greenwood – 18 years 11 months 19 days

Now into his third season as first-team player at Manchester United, Greenwood is the most experienced member of the team and has now made over 100 appearances for the club.

He was handed the No11 shirt this season and has added 12 goals to the 17 he managed last term – rest assured, though, this lad will score plenty more for the Red Devils and England.

CM: Caleb Watts – 19 years 10 days

Watts joined Southamtpon from QPR in 2018 and made his first-team debut in the FA Cup in January.

Ralph Hasenhuttl handed him a Premier League runout a week later, coming on for the final 16 minutes against Arsenal.

CM: Elliot Anderson – 18 years 2 months 12 days

Like Watts, Anderson made his first league appearance of the season in a defeat to Arsenal.

The Scotland Under-19 international got on twice at the Emirates within nine days but has found his goalscoring easier in the Premier League 2.

LM: Shola Shoretire – 17 years 19 days

The teen has been with United since he was nine after joining from Newcastle and became the youngest Uefa Youth League player aged 14 years 314 days.

Shoretire is eligible to play for England or Nigeria but pals Greenwood and Marcus Rashford will no doubt do all they can to convince him choose the Three Lions.

Shola Shoretire came on against Newcastle aged 17 years 19 daysCredit: PA:Press Association
Illan Meslier has been Leeds’ regular No1 in goal this season despite his tender ageCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Luke Thomas has taken his chances under Brendan Rodgers amid injury woes at full-back for LeicesterCredit: AP:Associated Press

ST: Dane Scarlett – 16 years 10 months 14 days

Who said Jose Mourinho doesn’t play the kids? Scarlett got eight minutes in the Europa League back in November and came on as a late sub in the win over West Brom on February 7.

He’s been firing in the goals for Tottenham’s youth sides this season. Watch your back, Harry Kane…

ST: Antwoine Hackford – 16 years 9 months 13 days

And last but by no means least, it is the Sheffield United striker – the youngest player to feature in the Premier League this season.

Born on March 20, 2004, the Sheffield-born ace is being tipped for greatness – and almost made the perfect start to his pro career when he went close to scoring on his debut as a sub in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on January 2.

Shoretire and Mason Greenwood have both come through the Manchester United academy and can play across the attackCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Antwoine Hackford, No32, almost grabbed a goal on his senior debut aged just 16 years 9 months 13 daysCredit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun

Other young players to miss out

WITH the players selected to fit into a regular formation, inevitably plenty of young stars miss out, including…

Liam Delap 17 years 7 months 19 days

Fabio Silva 18 years 2 months 2 days

Bukayo Saka 19 years 14 days

Anthony Elanga 19 years 4 months

Alexandre Jankewitz 19 years 1 month 5 days

Jacob Ramsey 19 years 1 month 14 days

Rayan Ait Nouri 19 years 4 months 24 days

Gabriel Martinelli 19 years 6 months 1 day

Billy Gilmour 19 years 6 months 1 day

Reda Khadra 119 years 6 months 9 days

Neco Williams 19 years 7 months 9 days

Curtis Jones 19 years 7 months 13 days

Anthony Gordon 19 years 8 months 1 day

Wesley Fofana 19 years 10 months 1 day

Callum Hudson-Odoi 19 years 10 months 7 days

Rhys Williams 19 years 10 months 13 days

Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League
Man United wonderkid Shola Shoretire scores ‘brilliant’ goal vs Wigan U18 at just 16


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


Tagcloud:

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face two-year Champions League ban after Uefa launch probe into Super League plot