Manchester United Under21 Ready To Compete In The Revamped Reserves League by Juan Manuel @theredinsider

Warren Joyce’s Manchester United Reserves completed a successful 2011/2012 season by lifting all three trophies in contention, namely Premier Reserve League North, Premier Reserve League National and Manchester Senior Cup. Such an impressing clean sweep could be interpreted as a hint that Reserves football is no longer where United’s young starlets should be, however the new season poses fresh and exciting challenges, as Manchester United embark on the recently-created Professional League Development, a competition where United’s young guns may face unfamiliar faces at this level in the name of London-based sides Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

It is important to bear in mind throughout the last season five players of the team wisely coached by the Englishman Joyce made his bow for the first-team (that is to say Michael Keane, Larnell Cole, William Keane, Ezekiel Fryers and Paul Pogba), something which at the end of the day is what really matters, as we talking about a formative team. Nevertheless and against all odds, the two latter moved for new pastures at the end of the term by signing for Italian outfit Juventus Torino and Belgium side Standard Liege respectively, something which could end up damaging his learning process as this is hard to find a club more interested in developing youth talent than Manchester United.

Although Joyce still counts with a skillful and experienced bunch of players at this level (many of them were selected by Sir Alex Ferguson to be part of Manchester United’s summer tour in South Africa and China), he will surely be glad to give several younger players, mainly left-back Tyler Blackett and striker Tom Lawrence a chance to prove themselves on a superior level. Recent senior international players such as Joshua King (who last Friday debuted for Norway in a 2-0 defeat to Iceland) and Robert Brady (who yesterday played for the first time and scored for Republic of Ireland in a 4-1 win over Oman at Fulham's Craven Cottage) are tipped to lead the way for the Reserves this season.

New Professional League Development Rules Summary

• Under-21 Premier League or Professional League Development is devised to help bridge gap between Academy and first team and produce more and better homegrown players. 
• 17 Premier League clubs and six Championship clubs in the Under-21 League after applying for Category One status. 
• After the group stages, three new groups will be created based on performance. 
• United must finish in the top three of National Group Two to qualify for the Elite Group. 
• The top three teams from the Elite Group and the winner of a play-off between the two Qualification Group victors will contest the semi-finals. 
• Three over-aged outfield players and one over-aged goalkeeper are allowed for matches in the Under-21 League. 
• At least two Under-21 matches must be at the main ground of each club and the play-offs, semi-finals and final must also be played at the main ground of the home clubs.

Manchester United Under21 Squad

Goalkeepers

• Sam Johnstone, England    

Defenders                                                                        

• Michael Keane, England (1/0)*
• Tyler Blackett, England
• Scott Wootton, England
• Luke McCullough, England
• Tom Thorpe, England
• Reece James, England
• Marnick Vermijl, Belgium
• Michele Fornasier, Italy
• Frédéric Veseli, Switzerland

Midfielders

• Ryan Tunnicliffe, England
• Luke Hendrie, England
• Larnell Cole, England (1/0)*
• Jesse Lingard, England
• Robert Brady, Ireland
• Charni Ekangamene, Belgium
• Davide Petrucci, Italy

Forwards

• William Keane, England (1/0)*
• Tom Lawrence, Wales
• Joshua King, Norway (1/0)*

On Trial

• Gladstony, Brazil
• Agnaldo, Brazil

Loaned

• Sean McGinty, Oxford United (England)
• Reece Brown, Coventry City (England)
• John Cofie, Sheffield United (England)
• Luke Giverin, Royal Antwerp (Belgium)
• Gyliano van Velzen, Royal Antwerp (Belgium)

Out

• Ritchie De Laet, Leicester City (England) (6/0)*
• Matthew James, Leicester City (England)
• Oliver Norwood, Huddersfield Town (England)
• Liam Jacob, Oldham Athletic (England)
• Joe Coll, Hearts (Scotland)
• Paul Pogba, Juventus (Italy) (7/0)*
• Alberto Massacci, AS Roma (Italy)
• Ezekiel Fryers, Standard Liege (Belgium) (5/0)*
• Rafael Leao, Desportivo Brasil (Brazil)

* Appearances and goals scored for Manchester United first-team in official matches.

Writer: Juan Manuel @theredinsider