"He's a top talent" - Victor Lindelof tips Manchester United youngster to have a bright future if he stays humble
Fast-rising prospect Anthony Elanga got a rare opportunity to start for Manchester United during their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday. The 19-year-old put in a decent performance and has been backed to have a splendid future by Red Devils defender Victor Lindelof.
Having watched the attacker closely at Old Trafford and with Sweden's U21 team, Victor Lindelof has hailed Anthony Elenga as a huge talent. The defender also praised the 19-year-old's hard-working spirit, tipping him to enjoy bright years ahead if he stays humble.
19-year-old Anthony Elanga starts for Manchester United against Aston Villa 👀
Ronaldo and Rashford are not in the squad ❌ https://t.co/l3DRFvEL7V
"Of course, I talk to him [Elenga] a lot. He's a great talent and I'm very happy for him, getting more and more minutes at the club," Lindelof remarked, as quoted by Manchester United's official website.
"He's a young player, a good talent, who comes in here every day and really wants to improve his game. He works very, very hard and I'm pleased for him. If he keeps doing the things he's doing at the moment, I think he's going to have a great future ahead of him. It's all about staying humble and to keep working hard."
The Manchester United defender also discussed Anthony Elenga's chances of breaking into Sweden's national team ahead of the World Cup play-offs.
"Maybe, in the future, we'll see," he continued. "We have quite a lot of young, exciting players coming up in Sweden at the moment. It's a very, very positive thing obviously for me, being captain, as it's always nice to see that - having young players getting into the team."
Anthony Elanga for Man Utd vs. Aston Villa:
100% aerial duels won
8 duels won
6 touches in opp. box (most)
4 shots
3 aerial duels won
2 take-ons (=most)
2 fouls won
1 tackle
1 interception
Impressed. https://t.co/VYEWX0as5i
"To be honest, I don't read that much [of any press coverage in Sweden about Elanga]. Obviously, if you're at United and young and Swedish, of course there is a lot of talk about you as a player."
Lindelof added:
"Yeah, I think, like I said, he's a top talent who, if he keeps doing the things he's doing at the moment, he can have a bright future ahead of him. It's nice to have him at the club as well and I'm trying to help him in any way I can."
What next for Manchester United?
Following their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa last weekend, Manchester United will continue their Premier League outing with a clash with Brentford this Wednesday. They will then lock horns with West Ham United in what promises to be a huge clash for the top four race at Old Trafford on Saturday.
As it stands, the Red Devils have a lot of work to do in the English top flight. They currently occupy seventh position in the table with 32 points from 20 games. They've recorded just nine victories so far and will need to raise their efforts in the coming weeks.