Get the day's biggest United stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Marcus Rashford benefited from Will Keane's injury to make his Manchester United debut and RoShaun Williams' pain might be Tyrell Warren's gain. Williams, named with Rashford as the two Fletcher Moss 'stars' by the Didsbury junior club's chairman Ron Jamieson, might have been recommended to Jose Mourinho by Nicky Butt but for injury.

Instead Mancunian Warren, a right-back who is also adept at centre-back, could be promoted to the United senior squad at Wigan next week. Just five years ago, Warren was among the United Under-13s who drew 2-2 with Ajax in the Amsterdam ArenA ahead of Edwin van der Sar's testimonial match.

"I'm bringing to the first-team, kids like Tyrell, kids like Axel Tuanzebe," Mourinho said on Tuesday. The Warren household can be forgiven for playing the video on a loop.

An outing next week would cap an excellent 12 months for the teenager, who was one of the Under-18s better performers last season as they suffered a dozen consecutive defeats. Warren's captaincy in the February draw against City was particularly encouraging three weeks on from the young Reds' defeat at the City Football Academy.

Warren is a high riser. He made his academy debut as a schoolboy in 2013-14, featured in United's 2014 Milk Cup win, and last season was lauded by Butt as the 'best player on the pitch' following United's UEFA Youth League draw against Wolfsburg. A United fan was more enthusiastic: "He was outstanding." Warren's has his own video highlights package from the game online.

"He defended really well, made some last-ditch challenges and did well against two men coming down the left-hand side for most of the time," Butt said.

"He did really well but, overall, it was a disappointing day as I'm a coach who wants to see lads play and be confident by dictating play and we didn't do that at all really."

Warren Joyce was sufficiently impressed to hand the first-year academy scholar Warren four substitute appearances and one start for the U21s.

Joyce gave Warren his first outing at Reading but it was on his second appearance at Middlesbrough that he really caught the eye. In a relatively experienced United side which included Adnan Januzaj, Andreas Pereira and Paddy McNair, half-time substitute Warren was excellent as United recovered to grind out a crucial 2-1 victory en route to retaining their title.

It was a stern test for the right-back. He was chosen ahead of Timothy Fosu-Mensah to replace Joe Riley at the pause and United conceded within minutes of the re-start on a rare evening of uncertainty for the usually sturdy Williams. Williams played a blind back-pass which was intercepted, only Warren intervened heroically to block a goal-bound effort.

With Williams fast-tracked to the U21s, Warren often donned the armband at U18 level. This season, it might be his chance to pack his Paul Smith club suit for a night at The Lowry Hotel.

How United could line-up at Wigan