“Sometimes it does work… look at Marcus [Rashford]. He was thrown in and never looked back. But it’s something we’ve got to study and communicate up and down the levels of coaching staff, from the first team back down to the youth team to see who is ready.

"Some are ready physically, tactically and technically but they aren’t ready mentally. If they’re only 16, 17 or 18, it’s a really massive thing, going to Old Trafford and playing in front of 75,000 fans, making mistakes and being able to carry that burden on their shoulders and go again. The timing has to be right. “

The timing was deemed right last weekend for Greenwood to start for United in a front six made up completely of Academy graduates and he will continue to be nurtured carefully.

Although it will be difficult to manage any growing hype and expectation surrounding the England Under-18 international, he will be looked after at the Aon Training Complex.