Mason Greenwood Photo: VCG

 

Manchester United's teenage academy graduate Mason Greenwood and former Paris St-Germain goal machine Edinson ­Cavani were both criticized earlier in the season but in recent weeks the pair's goals have been vital to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side progressing to the final of the UEFA Europa League and securing UEFA Champions League football for back-to-back seasons.

The good news for the United fans is that the master and apprentice will be together again next season.

Former Palermo and Napoli striker Cavani ended speculation over his future by signing a one-year contract extension this week.

Cavani, 34, has scored 15 goals for United in all competitions this season. There have been nine league goals in just 11 English Premier League starts for the Uruguayan. He also netted four times over the two legs of United's 8-4 win over Roma in the Europa League semis. It's little wonder that the club wanted to keep a player that arrived on a one-year deal last year.

"Over the season, I have developed a great affection for the club and everything that it represents," Cavani said after signing the contract extension.

"I feel a deep bond with my teammates and the staff who work behind the scenes here. They give me extra motivation every day and I know that, together, we can achieve special things."

The hope for fans is that the special things can begin with a first trophy ­under Solskjaer when they meet Villareal in Gdansk, Poland on May 26.

Solskjaer was  delighted that Cavani signed on for another year.

"I said when Edinson signed, that he would bring energy, power and leadership to this group and I haven't been proved wrong, he has been everything I thought he would be and more. As coaches, we knew about his goalscoring record. However, it is his personality that has brought so much to this squad, he has a winning mentality and has an unequivocal attitude to everything he does.

"Edinson is one of the last to leave the training ground and sets the tone for the upcoming youngsters with his approach to his profession every single day."

As for the teammates that Cavani praised, the feeling appears to be mutual and Greenwood had high praise for the Uruguayan after the Aston Villa game, in which both scored to secure a 3-1 come-from-behind win.

"He's exactly the same as last week, you know what he's going to do but you can't seem to stop him," the teenager said.

"He's still scoring goals, it was exactly the same against Roma. It's nice to watch from on the bench, to watch his movement when he scores.

"It's his movement, everyone knows he can do it but they can't stop it, I'm sure we're all learning off him - me, Rashy, all the attackers and all the young lads are looking up to him - so it's good to have him there."

Greenwood has been one of those to benefit most from Cavani, netting his 16th goal in the English Premier League for United in the Villa game and surpassing Wayne Rooney as the club's highest-scoring teenager since the competition started in 1992-93.

Rooney arrived at Old Trafford as an 18-year-old, signing from Everton. He scored his first league goal in a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford on his 19th birthday in the game that also ended the visitors' 49-game unbeaten run. He would score 14 more before his next birthday.

Greenwood has now surpassed him with room to breathe. He turns 20 in October.

The goal in their 2-1 loss to Leicester City on Tuesday was Greenwood's 29th goal overall for the club and only two teenagers have scored more than Greenwood for the club - both icons at Old Trafford that date back well before the Premier League era.

Teen tyro Norman Whiteside scored 39 while his fellow Nothern Irishman George Best netted 37 before turning 20.

He may not pass either of those club legends but the names he has outscored are nothing to be sniffed at. Marcus Rashford scored 13 league goals as a teenager, his first coming against Arsenal like Rooney, days after his goalscoring debut against FC Midjyttland in the Europa League.

Rashford now has 87 goals for the club - and 11 for his country.

Another academy graduate, the club's record appearance holder Ryan Giggs scored 12 league goals as a teenager.

He would end his career some two decades on from his first goal, which cames against Spurs in his third ever Premier League appearance, with 13 Premier League titles and 168 goals in 963 appearances.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored eight league goals as a teenager after arriving from Sporting Lisbon but would go on to score 118 before leaving the club for Real Madrid. Ronaldo has gone on be one of the most decorated players in the game and one of the most deadly goalscorers.

If Greenwood can become half as good as any of these teenagers he has already surpassed or the veteran striker who he will spend another season with then United fans will be happy.

In the meantime Greenwood - who scored his first Premier League goal in a 3-3 draw with Sheffield United on November 24, 2019 - said he was happy with his record-breaking goal against Villa.

"I knew he [Mings] was coming tight so if I get a little move I can get half a yard and I finished it well, so I'm happy with my goal today.

"Hopefully there's many more to come. I want to try and keep scoring goals so nobody else comes and breaks the record in the future."

That mentality indicates that Greenwood might have what it takes for his name to be counted with the likes of Whiteside, Best, Rashford, Giggs and Ronaldo in the long term.