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Manchester United Under-21 coach Warren Joyce revealed how his criticism of Cameron Borthwick-Jackson earlier in the season sparked an improvement in the left-back's professionalism and led to his first-team debut.

The 19-year-old was named Under-21 Player of the Year ahead of James Weir and Donald Love on Monday night, despite having played 12 senior games during the campaign.

Joyce - who decided the U21 winner - explained how a frank chat with Borthwick-Jackson resulted in the teenager arriving at United's Carrington training base at 8am and doing more gym work, before his U21 form was rewarded with a senior debut against West Brom in November.

United fans are clamouring for Flixton-born Borthwick-Jackson to be restored to the first-team at the expense of the jittery Marcos Rojo and the teenager was in typically unfazed form when asked about his first-team debut.

“I don’t really get nervous. I know that’s hard to believe, when you’re coming out to play in front of 75,000 people, but nerves never really get to me," he told MUTV. "I block the crowd out and just get on with the game, it’s what you’re paid to do!"

U21 coach Warren Joyce revealed how his criticism of Borthwick-Jackson earlier in the season led to the left-back arriving at United's Carrington training base at 8am and doing more gym work.

Borthwick-Jackson insisted his prime objective before the start of the season was to establish himself in the U21s but he is now desperate to cement himself in the first-team squad.

"As things have gone on, I’ve grasped the opportunity and am hungry for more," he added.

"You can’t just rest on what you’ve done, you have to keep pushing on and keep doing what you’re doing. Hopefully, I’ll be in the manager’s thoughts for the future.

"I’ve had the taste, playing 12 games, so I have to keep going. You can’t just rest on that, you want to aim to cement a place next season."