The kids are all right: English Premier League’s youthful heroes shining among game’s elite

Manchester United’s young guns back in Hong Kong aiming to emulate predecessors who gained first-team recognition

Recent evidence would suggest that among the young Manchester United players in Hong Kong this week, at least one is on a fast track to the top.

It was only two years ago, after all, that a 13-year-old JJ Gabriel came to the city and scored twice in a pair of victories for his United team.

Now 15, Gabriel made his first senior team outing in a 2-1 friendly victory over Atletico Madrid earlier this month. Although still noteworthy, Gabriel’s age attracted far less broad comment than it might have before the recent spate of frighteningly early Premier League baptisms.

Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman and Jeremy Monga, the three players who have appeared in England’s top flight at 15, all made their debuts in the past four years.

Jaap Stam, the former United defender, had to wait until he was 20 for his professional bow with FC Zwolle.

“Sometimes, it’s simply about genetics and ability, but clubs have more people in academies to guide players, to give them the confidence that if they do well they’ll reach the first team, and to accelerate that process,” Stam told the South China Morning Post.