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Football

02nd Mar 2016

Louis van Gaal could hand yet another youngster his debut against Watford

The Joe Show

Kevin McGillicuddy

Fifteen stands the toll of the walking wounded currently at Old Trafford.

It was seventeen until this afternoon when Anthony Martial and Marcos Rojo managed to drag their wounded bodies to Old Trafford for tonight’s Premier League clash with Watford.

And with Louis van Gaal’s squad as thin as the script for an episode of ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’, another youth team player may get a chance to feature in the Premier League.

The Dutchman has included Joe Rothwell in his match-day squad for the clash in Manchester, and he has been joined by James Weir.

Van Gaal has had no other option but to turn to youth over the last number of weeks, and there is speculation Rothwell may feature tonight.

The Red Devils can go level with Manchester City if they beat Watford, and Liverpool gain revenge over the League Cup winners at Anfield.

Marcus Rashford is likely to retain his place in the starting side, and here are five almost useless things about Rothwell to amaze your mates with.

  1. He has had loan spells at Blackpool and Barnsley, and is back at United since October due to tonsillitis.
  2. If he does play tonight, he will be the 11th Academy player to feature under LvG
  3. He grabbed the winner against Manchester City U21s last month.

4. He is not any of these people on Twitter.

rothwell

5. His name makes some wonderful anagrams if that’s what you’re in to: Jethro Welsh Pol, Jesh Powell
Thor, Howell Petr Josh, Elspeth Joh Worl.

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