Manchester United promote Under-21 star to Michael Carrick’s squad after two Premier League games

Manchester United Under-21 boss Adam Lawrence has confirmed Shea Lacey is now considered a first-team player.

The 18-year-old, once dubbed by fans as ‘the Scouse Lionel Messi‘, only made his senior debut under Ruben Amorim in December.

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The England Under-20 forward played six minutes as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 loss at Aston Villa four days before Christmas.

Lacey then spent three first-team matches on the bench but played in both matches during Darren Fletcher’s short stint as interim boss.

Man United’s No.61 caught the eye in his late cameo in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Burnley after almost scoring the winner.

“Where has he been?” Gary Neville quipped on commentary after watching the youngster hit the crossbar from the edge of the box.

However, Lacey was then sent off in the FA Cup defeat to Brighton four days later and hasn’t been around the first-team much since.

Shea Lacey considered first-team player

The winger has only been named on the first-team bench once since Michael Carrick took over in January and has struggled with injury.

Yet Lacey, who has scored eight goals in nine Premier League 2 appearances this season, is now fully recovered from a calf issue.

“Shea is quite a unique case,” Man United Under-21 coach Lawrence said.

“He’s always had an elite technical level. He can do things with the ball which are, without getting too carried away, genuinely first-team level.

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“But he’s been a later developer physically, so players like that need more time and patience,” Lawrence continued on Lacey.

“Day-to-day, Shea will train with the first team and basically follow their programme, and then be topped up with Under-21 games when he needs to be playing.”

Carrick and his first-team staff have ensured that they have been regular fixtures at academy games during their time in charge.

But the Red Devils interim manager will miss the Under-21s’ quarter-final clash against Real Madrid in the Premier League International Cup on Tuesday for a four-day training camp in Dublin next week.

Lawrence joked that he would try to ‘sweet-talk’ Carrick into releasing Lacey from the senior travelling party so he could play Los Blancos.

“Ah, I’d have to try and sweet-talk Michael,” smiled Lawrence when asked if the teenage sensation would be available against Madrid.

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“Shea has had one or two little niggles that have disrupted his rhythm a little bit, but he’s definitely someone the club is really excited about,” he added.

“But this has been the biggest block that he’s had with the first team, touch wood uninterrupted and he is training at a good level.

“He’s managing that sensitive transition from the Under-21s into senior football. But for the moment, the first team has him day to day.”

Man United’s Under-21s are set to play on Friday afternoon away to Leeds United before that crunch clash with Madrid at Old Trafford.

“Of course, as a coach, you want to have Shea available for as many games as possible,” Lawrence continued.

“But at the same time, what he’s doing with the first team at the moment is really, really good and beneficial for him.

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‘A player that can fully transition into the first team’

“We do believe he is a player that can fully transition into the first team eventually.

“Michael has been supportive. He understands the marquee games for the academy and the ones that he and the club feel are good to be involved in.

“They would obviously support but not at the expense of what the first team is doing or their programme.

“But Michael already told me last week— I had a short conversation—just around the programme next week for the 21s and basically how the first team can support that.”