Could defender Axel Tuanzebe make his competitive debut against Northampton?

Manchester United face Northampton Town in the EFL Cup live on Sky Sports on Wednesday, with Jose Mourinho expected to rotate his side.

The Red Devils are looking to bounce back from a third consecutive defeat against Watford at the weekend, but which young players could get a chance to impress against their League One opponents?

Here are five youngsters who will be eager to get the nod…

Axel Tuanzebe

While he is yet to make his competitive debut, 18-year-old defender Tuanzebe was actually promoted to Louis van Gaal's first-team squad before more established duo Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Marcus Rashford last season.

Tuanzebe featured for Manchester United's first team in pres-season

He is highly rated by Mourinho, too. The former Chelsea boss was full of praise for Tuanzebe after he made a substitute cameo in a 2-0 win over Wigan during pre-season.

"The potential is there, you see it immediately," he said. "You know him better than me because you know him for a few years but if anyone sees him for the first time, ten minutes is enough to see the potential."

Tim Fosu-Mensah

Fosu-Mensah has fallen out of first-team contention after bursting onto the scene under Van Gaal last season. The Dutch youth international produced a string of impressive displays under his countryman, but is yet to feature under Mourinho despite signing a new contract in August.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah impressed against West Ham's Dimitri Payet last season

He'll be hoping to get his chance against Northampton. The tall teenager mainly operated as a full-back last season, but he is also capable of playing as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder. That versatility could work in his favour as Mourinho switches things up on Wednesday night.

Sean Goss

Midfielder Goss is another youngster who came to wider attention under Van Gaal last season, featuring on the bench for a Champions League tie with Wolfsburg. The 20-year-old did not get on that day, but he has impressed in United's youth teams since his arrival from Exeter in 2012.

Sean Goss joined Manchester United from Exeter

Goss has been compared to Michael Carrick in the past, and admits he models himself on the 35-year-old. "He is one of my favourite players in the first team and I do look up to him," he said." I want to play like him as well, spreading passes, keeping the ball and trying to read the play, while getting on the ball as much as I can."

Joe Riley

Riley made his first-team debut in United's FA Cup clash with Shrewsbury Town last season and he was handed his first start against Midtjylland in the Europa League. The 19-year-old came through the United youth ranks as a winger but he has recently been converted into a full-back.

Riley faces stiff competition to break into the first team under Mourinho, but he says he is developing a similar style to Luke Shaw. "If you look at someone like Luke, he bombs forward all the time and is obviously a great left-back," he said. "It's good watching him get forward but also defending as well. I'd like to take that into my game."

Regan Poole

Poole has made a big impression since joining United's youth ranks from Welsh outfit Newport County in 2015. The highly-rated defender was handed his first-team debut by Van Gaal against Midtjylland last season, and one of his former coaches has compared him to a young Rio Ferdinand.

Regan Poole is a highly-rated central defender

The Wales U21 international only turned 18 in June, but could Manchester United's defensive struggles against Watford open the door for his second senior appearance against Northampton? Poole was only 16 years and 94 days old when he made his Newport County debut in League Two. It was the start of a rapid rise.