Cole: Greenwood has quality in abundance

The Academy graduate scored his first senior goal during our Europa League victory over Astana back in September and followed that up with another strike against Rochdale in the Carabao Cup. 

After celebrating his 18th birthday on Tuesday, Greenwood is now part of the squad that has travelled to the Netherlands for the European tie versus AZ Alkmaar. 

United arrived in The Hague on Wednesday and completed a training session at the Cars Jeans Stadium, where Cole kept a close eye on the session and later spoke to our man Stewart Gardner. 

Asked for his opinion on teenage forward Greenwood, who is expected to start against the Dutch club, Andy told us: “The kid has got quality in abundance, to be fair to him.

“If he keeps working and keeps progressing, which I have no doubt he will do, it won't be too long before he is lining up for the first team on a regular basis.

“When you watch him, as a former centre-forward, you can see with your own eyes that he has two great feet. If you look at his mentality as well, he looks like he has got his head screwed on for a very young boy who has just turned 18. 

“I watched him a lot during the pre-season tour and watched him quite a few times on MUTV as well, so you realise he has quality. It won't be long, it won't be long.”

As one of the club’s finest goalscorers, Cole knows a great deal about finding the back of the net and was relaxed about United’s recent inability to score more than once in a game. 

“It is a little bit of a concern, not getting that second goal when we go a goal up and can't kill the game off. So it has been a little bit disappointing but, listen, Ole and the rest of the coaching staff and team are working very hard to try to put it right. They will hit the net soon.”

As for the Europa League, the Treble winner is clear in his assessment that United will go all-out to lift the trophy this season. "You are in it to win it,” said Andy. 

“That is the way you have got to look at it. This is an opportunity to get into the Champions League next season, guaranteed, if you can't get there due to our league position. You have got to go out and try to win the competition. The players out here would like to win it, no doubt.”

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