Nathan Bishop's long-term future at Manchester United is far from certain.
But in the short-term he is aiming to add a promotion to his CV with Mansfield Town.
Bishop arrived at Old Trafford after being signed from Southend United in early 2020.
But his route to the first team at United is blocked to say the least, with no fewer than four senior goalkeepers in front of him: David de Gea and Dean Henderson along with veterans Lee Grant and Tom Heaton.
With that in mind, Bishop was despatched on loan to Mansfield at the start of the season and after a slow start he has played his part in a superb revival that has the Stags dreaming of automatic promotion from League Two.
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Friday night saw Nigel Clough's side seal a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Exeter City as they equalled a club record of ten successive home league wins, previously set in 1949.
It also extended their unbeaten run to 14 as they moved up to third before Saturday's 3pm games.
Bishop proved crucial in extending that run after pulling off a superb double save when leading 1-0. Farrend Rawson opened the scoring for Mansfield but they then had Bishop to thank for a stunning low reflex save to keep out Josh Coley before reacting brilliantly to deny the rebound.
Newcastle loanee Matty Longstaff doubled Mansfield's lead midway through the second half before Exeter pulled a consolation strike back through Matt Jay in stoppage time, after Bishop spilled a deep cross.
Despite the late error, Clough was full of praise for Bishop after his earlier saves proved pivotal.
"(He was) Absolutely brilliant. That’s why he’s a little bit disappointed with the mistake (that led to Exeter’s goal)," Clough said.
"When you make a mistake and you still get the three points, that’s okay.
“He kept us in it with three or four brilliant saves tonight.”
Bishop's role at United is pretty unique in that he is widely regarded as a 'practice squad' player. The exact definition of that is hard to pin down but his only appearance for the Red Devils so far was for the Under-23s in an EFL Trophy win over Salford in September 2020. He is under contract until 2023.
United goalkeeping coach Richard Hartis has previously spoken highly of the 22-year-old.
He said: "He (Bishop) has come in the door and I think he recognised the opportunity that he has as an individual, to come in and be around the first team.
"He is on his own career path and I think he sees Man United as a really good opportunity to develop and to grow.
"He is very ambitious, very athletic, very hard working, mentally very strong, he has played 39 games already at that level and for a kid of 20 that is some going really, having come through their system too.
"He is somebody who is really going to set the tempo in the training with his attitude, approach and application."
