Alex Livesey/Getty Images

French kid, Gabriel Obertan is Sir Alex Ferguson’s and Manchester United’s latest sensation that could go on to emulate the achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

Obertan, only 20, played full 90 minutes however, like the Daily Mail praised his brilliant touches, he is the kind of player Manchester United fans will forget about Ronaldo, 24, now with Real Madrid in Spain.

It is unfortunate the former Girondins Bordeaux player did not enjoy his marvelous debut against Barnsley in the Carling Cup at home-Old Trafford. His pace on the ball and off it was simply amazing. Like Ronaldo did on his debut match against Bolton Wanderers, Obertan, run at the opposition without fear. His runs could compare to Ryan Giggs, the junior at his tender days for United. He is not very much different from Lionel Messi of Barcelona and also reminds many of the ever running Arjen Robben, now bayern Munich.

Like Fergie helped Ronaldo elevate his game to the highest level, Obertan had the freedom at Barnsley to torment and pace down the flanks. It is one of the instincts that will bring out the best in a player who failed to come good at Bordeaux, who were forced to loan him.

While many have been named as successors to Ronaldo, like Nani, Antonio Valencia, none comes good like Obertan. Fergie is already impressed with his two performances in United’s red and blue colours at Barnsley and Oldham this week and last week, respectively. Valencia and Nani will have to prove beyond doubt that they can match the 20-year-old’s abilities. Obertan is not a selfish player, a factor that distinguishes him from Ronaldo. With United’s free flowing football, this kid is likely to go all the way to match the reputation Ronaldo had at Old Trafford and Giggs, who is still running strong at the club.

If Fergie, who appears very much a fun of the French kid, elevates him to the first team, United will not be required to hunt for a star name to fill the vacuum Ronaldo left. Fergie was so patient with Ronaldo for two years that he did not listen to the critics of the Portuguese kid, then. Obertan, with the eyeful display on Tuesday night, may not require two years to bring out his best. The ingredients of colourful and great players are so much alive in him.

Video Play Button Videos you might like

He played with so much confidence that he was named man of the match on the fateful night of Tuesday.

However, the premier league defenders are not going to allow him to thrive like Ronaldo did in his five years at Old Trafford. He had a rough time though at Barnsley with the defenders trying to bring him down every time he got hold of the ball.



Crisis at Real Madrid

Real Madrid, have a very big problem on their hands to sort out. Florentino Perez has come out to calm fans about the team’s sluggish display, which includes a thumping by an unknown Alcorcon in the Spanish cup. The rumor mill is already filled up with news of management planning to boot head coach, Manuel Pellegrini. Impatience is the disease, Real are currently suffering from. They want to correct the wrongs of last season but, this is not going to be done in a fortnight. Real invested so heavily in bringing to the Bernabeau Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso and Benzema. Therefore, the demand for trophies this season is inelastic. But Pellegrini, imported from Villarreal will have himself to blame for allowing many star names to leave Madrid on orders of the directors. In a key moment where Ronaldo is out injured, perhaps, Robben and Sneijder having a great time at Bayern and Inter would have been assets to the struggling side. Madrid doesn’t need a new boss but time to fix the problem.

The problem is getting rid of the syndrome of Ronaldo and trying to build a team that can play together. Since Ronaldo’s demise, the mighty Madrid boosting of 9 champions league and 31 La Liga championships.