Anybody wondering whether Brandon Williams has the fortitude to deal with the particular demands of the modern Manchester United need not worry.



This is a 19-year-old whose explosive speed is surpassed only by his explosive aggression – both in the way he carries the ball and the approach he takes to opponents.



Williams, the latest academy player to get a full first-team debut under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, runs hard, always looking to burst between gaps, and he is also not afraid of confrontation either. Alkmaar got a glimpse of that in the 65th minute when he shoved Dani de Wit in the chest after the midfielder chucked the ball over his head at a throw-in.



It was a more measured reaction than the one he gave in a pre-season friendly behind closed doors against Accrington Stanley, when their captain Sean McConville threw a punch Williams’ way. Williams evaded the 30-year-old’s fist and hit back with a headbutt for which he was sent...