Manchester United’s Under-18s face Manchester City in the Premier League Cup final on Tuesday night, and academy director Nick Cox is hoping for a big crowd to create a special atmosphere for the young players. Cox believes that the experience of playing in front of a large crowd will be invaluable for the players’ development, and he is grateful for the support that Erik ten Hag has given to the academy. Erik ten Hag has “been incredibly supportive of our program and our players,” said Cox. “He’s been really good at integrating the youth into the first team.” Cox cited Kobbie Mainoo as an example of the youth who had been given the chance to shine in the first team. “He’s been really well educated to deal with high-pressure situations as a youngster,” said Cox of Mainoo. “He’s played in Champions League games away in Turkey, he’s played at Wembley for England and he’s played at Old Trafford against Liverpool. “I think it’s no surprise that he’s been able to cope with those things at this age. He’s had a lot of experience playing in big games for our academy teams, and he’s also had the opportunity to train with the first team on a regular basis. That’s invaluable experience for a young player, and it’s helped him to develop into the player he is today.” Cox is hoping that more of United U18s can follow in Mainoo’s footsteps and break into the first team in the future. “We’ve got a great track record of doing that,” said Cox. “We’ve got a brilliant track record of boys in the first team, historically as well. That’s what will define us.”
