HIGHLY rated teenage sensation JJ Gabriel was forced to wait for his senior Manchester United debut on Friday as manager Michael Carrick left the 15-year-old on the bench throughout the club’s emphatic 5-0 pre-season victory over Rosenborg in Trondheim, Norway.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Gabriel, regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Manchester United’s academy, travelled with Carrick’s 25-man squad for the friendly, raising expectations that he could become one of the youngest players ever to feature in a senior match for the club.
Instead, the young forward watched the entire encounter from the substitutes’ bench while several of his academy teammates seized the opportunity to impress in the convincing win.
Gabriel had been one of the main attractions when Manchester United arrived in Norway on Thursday evening. During a supporters’ meet-and-greet session later that day, the teenage star was pushed to the forefront as fans eagerly sought a glimpse of the jewel in the club’s youth system.
However, perhaps mindful of the intense scrutiny surrounding the youngster, Carrick opted not to introduce Gabriel into the game. Alongside his FA Youth Cup final teammate, Jim Thwaites, Gabriel was one of only two outfield players in the travelling squad who failed to get any minutes on the pitch.
Despite the disappointment, there is a widespread belief within the club that Gabriel’s opportunity will come sooner rather than later.
While Gabriel remained on the sidelines, Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney and Harry Amass—all aged 19—made compelling arguments for regular involvement in Carrick’s first-team plans.
The trio all found the back of the net as Manchester United comfortably dispatched the Norwegian side.
Lacey entered pre-season with growing expectations after being identified by Manchester United coaches, alongside midfielder Tyler Fletcher, as one of the academy players most likely to establish himself as a regular member of Carrick’s first-team squad.
The winger’s immense promise has long been recognised, but injuries have significantly slowed his progress.
A torn thigh muscle sidelined him for five months during the 2023-24 campaign, forcing the club to carefully manage his workload before allowing him to play consistently again.
It also remains impossible to know how his development might have unfolded had he not been sent off late during Manchester United’s FA Cup third-round defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford in January.
Before that dismissal, Lacey had dazzled in the previous match against Burnley, where he struck the crossbar with a powerful effort from outside the penalty area that looked destined to secure victory before the contest eventually ended 2-2.
While serving his suspension, Lacey suffered another injury, delaying his return until Carrick handed him first-team minutes in the season’s final game against Brighton.
Although he performed well in that appearance, it merely set the stage for what has become an important pre-season campaign as he attempts to cement his place in the senior squad.
The opposition will become considerably stronger than Rosenborg, whose domestic league fixture was rescheduled to Monday to accommodate Friday’s friendly.
The scheduling decision reportedly angered Rosenborg supporters and may have contributed to the large number of empty seats inside the 21,000-capacity Lerkendal Stadium.
Lacey nevertheless ensured his performance stood out.
Operating for much of the match in a hybrid number 10 role with Bryan Mbeumo playing wider, Lacey drifted intelligently into space from the right before producing a composed curling finish into the far corner, underlining his quality.
Jacob Devaney also continued his impressive recent form.
Having earned special praise from Carrick following last week’s defeat to Wrexham in Helsinki, Devaney once again delivered an assured display while operating in central defence rather than his preferred midfield position.
The versatile youngster also capped another fine performance by instinctively finishing first time after moving forward for a corner kick.
Harry Amass also strengthened his case for greater first-team involvement.
Many observers had expected the left-back to receive more opportunities under former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, but the Dutch coach believed the youngster lacked the necessary physical stature.
Two years later, Amass has noticeably developed physically.
After finding himself pushed down the pecking order following Diego Leon’s arrival last season, he impressed during a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday before suffering an injury shortly after joining Norwich.
Now fully fit again, Amass slid in at the far post to convert Manchester United’s fourth goal, providing another reminder to Carrick that he could serve as a dependable understudy to Luke Shaw.
Joshua Zirkzee also produced one of the highlights of the afternoon with a superb solo goal, while Ethan Williams completed the scoring as Manchester United rounded off an impressive 5-0 victory over Rosenborg.
Although JJ Gabriel’s eagerly anticipated senior debut did not materialise in Norway, his inclusion in the travelling squad and the attention surrounding him underline the club’s belief that his breakthrough is only a matter of time, while the performances of Lacey, Devaney and Amass offered further evidence of Manchester United’s rich pipeline of emerging talent.