15 August 2023 , 06:00
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Sir Alex Ferguson has highlighted the importance of utilising young players for Manchester United - and spoke highly of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka as a blueprint for his former club to follow.
Before Manchester United's win over Wolves, Ferguson appeared on the NBC Sports coverage in the United States. In conversation with Tim Howard, the legendary manager emphasised the importance of players setting high standards for themselves if they hope to join United. Additionally, Ferguson stressed the significance of the club identifying players whose profile aligns with the club.
While he believes that having top players is crucial to a club's success, he also mentioned spirit, which is usually created when young players are allowed to shine. He pointed out Saka, who has emerged as one of the league's best young players and has played senior minutes for Arsenal at 17 years old.
"Well, for my take, people talk about when we had Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, and the Nevilles, people thought they made a great team," Ferguson said. "But what made it a great team was the spirit they created.
"They brought you a spirit, and they never forget you for giving them a chance in life. All the young players you get, like Arsenal at the moment, have got a lot of young players - Saka in particular - who will remember the manager who gave him his chance. That's the important thing."
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Ferguson emphasised that signing young players is only the beginning of a club's journey. The key lies in utilising their potential by putting them on the field. This builds trust between the coaching staff and scouts, paving the way for adding more players who align with the team's objectives.
"And I think that most clubs have a very good scouting operation, but if a scout recommends a young player to you and you take him but don't play him - scout's wasted," he added. "You've got to have the confidence and the trust in your scouts to present this player to you. And if you're producing young players, give him a chance. Because [otherwise] there's no point in having them."
Bukayo Saka has repaid faith placed in him as a youngster to become a star for Arsenal (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Manchester United defeated Wolves 1-0 in their opening campaign after center-back Raphael Varane knocked in a header after leaping over Nelson Semedo. Beyond the goal, United struggled to create chances offensively, with just three shots on target.
A controversial portion of the game occurred when United goalkeeper Andre Onana collided with Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic. Viewers and pundits watching the game believed the act warranted a clear penalty, but VAR said otherwise.
The incident was ultimately checked by VAR but was decided before referee Simon Hooper even had to go to the monitor. After the match, Sky Sports Gary O'Neil said that he received an apology from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), noting that the in-game decision was incorrect.
"We have just spoken to Jonathan Moss, and fair play to him for coming straight out and apologizing and saying it was a blatant penalty and should have been given," he said.