KEY POINTS

  • Greenwood scored in Man Utd's 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Friday
  • He has now scored 16 goals this season
  • Man Utd are just a point away from fourth-placed Leicester in the table

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that even before he took charge of Manchester United, he knew Mason Greenwood would make it to the club’s first team.

With every passing game, Greenwood has justified the faith the club has shown in him. He was once again among the scorers Friday when Man Utd defeated Aston Villa 3-0. The other goals were scored by the midfield duo of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.

With the goal against Aston Villa, 18-year-old Greenwood now has netted 16 goals this season across all competitions in 42 appearances for Man Utd. The 20-time champions are currently placed fifth in the Premier League table but are just one point behind four-placed Leicester City, who recently drew 1-1 against Arsenal.

Mason Greenwood has been hailed by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as one of the "best finishers" he has seen
Mason Greenwood has been hailed by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as one of the "best finishers" he has seen POOL / Dave Thompson

After the Aston Villa match Thursday, Solskjaer recollected the moment when he was convinced Greenwood would shine for Man Utd in the future.

Greenwood, who is a product of Man Utd’s academy, struck a hat-trick in Man Utd's 4-3 FA Youth Cup victory over Chelsea the night before the Red Devils sacked Jose Mourinho in December 2018, who was then replaced by Solskjaer as club’s new boss on an interim basis.

“Ever since I came to the club, just before I came to the club, the youth team beat Chelsea 5-1 or 2 (it was 4-3) or something and he scored three, I think. I watched that game on video and it's just natural for him to score goals and to handle the ball. Now he's playing with better players, he’s enjoying it and he just gets on with his job, which he should be, and enjoying his football,” Solskjaer said in a post-match interview, as per Manchester Evening News.

The youth game also had the likes of Man Utd executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward in attendance along with first-team coaches Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna. In less than three months, Greenwood made his first-team debut for Man Utd toward the end of the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Solskjaer handed Greenwood his Premier League debut in April 2019 in a match against Arsenal, where they lost 2-0.

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