For the first time, Saturday's Premier League showdown between rivals Manchester City and Manchester United will have a direct Crew SC tie. With Sergio Aguero suspended three games for throwing an elbow at West Ham's Winston Reid, 19-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho is expected to get the start for City in front of a capacity crowd of 75,000-plus at United's Old Trafford. But two years ago, Iheanacho was in central Ohio working with the Crew as he prepared to transition from youth soccer to the professional game.

For the first time,Saturday�s Premier League showdown between rivals Manchester City and Manchester United will have a direct Crew SC tie.

With Sergio Aguero suspended three games for throwing an elbow at West Ham�s Winston Reid, 19-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho is expected to get the start for City in front of a capacity crowd of 75,000-plus at United�s Old Trafford. But two years ago, Iheanacho was in central Ohio working with the Crew as he prepared to transition from youth soccer to the professional game.

It was on Field 1 at the Crew�s training facility in Obetz, Ohio, where Iheanacho netted an impressive hat trick in a Sept. 3, 2014 morning scrimmage against United Soccer League affiliate Dayton. There were decidedly fewer onlookers there – nearly 74,996 fewer.

I was there, as were one or two other people. And as this unknown kid continually undressed the Dutch Lions defense, we were left wondering who the heck this �academy kid� – as we guessed – was, and where he came from. When coach Gregg Berhalter explained afterward that Iheanacho needed a place to practice for a few weeks before officially signing with Manchester City, I assumed he was joking.

At the time, Berhalter said Manchester City approached the Crew about finding some time for Iheanacho through Claudio Reyna, who played for Man City, was Berhalter�s teammate on the United States national team and director of football operations for what was then Major League Soccer expansion franchise New York City FC.

Iheanacho was with the Crew for a few weeks but was never a candidate to sign with the club. His salary alone is more than the team�s entire roster and, likely, the practice facility too.

Today, Berhalter said he was happy to see Iheanacho get a chance this weekend.

�When he was here, you had that impression that he was going to be a good player,� he said. �It�s not that you saw that he doesn�t have any quality. You saw that he had quality, so it�s nice to see now that it�s playing out.�

He bided his time with the Crew until he turned 18 in October and could sign a full contract with Manchester City.

�I think that we helped him,� Berhalter said today. �This level helped him get acclimated to what men�s soccer is about. He came from youth soccer and he did well, but we pushed him. It was an enjoyable time when he was here and it�s nice to see that he�s doing well.�

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy