Ten Hag: Old Trafford experience helps Under-21s' development
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says that the Under-21s' clash at Old Trafford on Friday is a great chance for our fans to come and see Reds who may be playing in the first team in the coming years.
Kicking off at 19:00 BST, the Under-21s take on Leeds United in our first home match of the 2023/24 Premier League 2 season.
Fans can buy tickets for the match, priced at just £5 for adults and £1 for under-16s.
Ahead of the match, Erik conducted an interview with MUTV where he was asked about the benefits of our young players having the opportunity to play at the Theatre of Dreams.
"I think it is great for the fans to see our players who are not yet in front of them," said the boss. "They are playing in the Under-21s, but they are not far away and on short notice they can line up in the first team.
"It is a great opportunity to see them.
"And for the players it is very important because they already have then the experience of playing at Old Trafford. That ambience that will help them for the moment they line up in the first team."
Ten Hag also believes the identity of Friday's opponents only adds to the intrigue of the fixture, which is also being shown live on MUTV.
"[It] is a rivalry," he said. "It is a great game.
"The players love to play it and for the fans it is really exciting to watch."
Following the confirmation of our Professional Development Phase group for 2023/24, fans could see the likes of Joe Hugill, Marc Jurado and Noam Emeran - all of whom featured for the first-team during pre-season - turning out for Travis Binnion's side in M16.
The opponents and the venue ensure that Friday is another key development opportunity for our young players, as we strive to aid their growth as footballers and as people.
LIVE ON MUTV
If you cannot make it to the match, it will also be shown live on MUTV on Friday evening.