Manchester United’s newest kid on the block, Anthony Elanga, is thriving this season.
After making two senior appearances last term, Elanga was back with the Under-23s at the start of this campaign and struggling to get a first-team look in.
Afforded just 17 senior minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was Ralf Rangnick's appointment which has changed Elanga's fortunes. He was a late cameo in the interim manager's first game in charge - a win over Crystal Palace - and then started the following game three days later - a 1-1 draw with Young Boys in the Champions League.
Elanga has since scored three times in 11 further appearances across the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, including the vital equaliser on Tuesday as United held Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
But things could have been very different should Elanga had taken a different route to stardom when he was much younger.
Forder, Elanga's former youth coach at Hattersley FC, told The Sun last month: “[Manchester] City showed interest at first and he had a few training sessions with them.
He added: “One of the parents was a scout and he contacted United's chief scout, who looked at him. I think it was an 8-1 defeat but Anthony was outstanding."
Elanga was aged just 11 at the time and eventually joined United’s academy from Hattersley FC the following year.
Had Anthony Elanga joined City, his chances of making it to the first team at 19 years of age would have been far slimmer.
Despite his clear quality, the long line of world-class attackers ahead of Elanga in the City pecking order is arguably the most daunting in the world. Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus would all have been favoured, understandably so, by Pep Guardiola.
That's not to say that City do not afford youngsters the chance to sign. This season alone has seen the likes of Liam Delap, Cole Palmer and James McAtee impress under the guidance of Guardiola and his staff. Samuel Edozie is another widely thought of.
But those four, plus Kayky, have played just 156 minutes of Premier League football this season. Elanga has 373 in the league alone.
Elanga's impact cannot be underestimated, coming up trumps at a hostile Elland Road - where he was also hit by an object thrown from the crowd - before doing it under even greater pressure at the Wanda Metropolitano as others such as Marcus Rashford, and Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to struggle.
More exciting opportunities await.
