MICHAEL OWEN has questioned whether Anthony Elanga has got what it takes to succeed at Manchester United. The youngster has broken into the first-team this season and scored a memorable goal to earn United a draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. But despite his promising start under Ralf Rangnick, Liverpool and England legend Owen has […]
MICHAEL OWEN has questioned whether Anthony Elanga has got what it takes to succeed at Manchester United.
The youngster has broken into the first-team this season and scored a memorable goal to earn United a draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
But despite his promising start under Ralf Rangnick, Liverpool and England legend Owen has thrown doubt on his potential impact.
Owen claims Elanfa is not ‘special, special’ and does not compare to United legends such as Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.
Speaking after the match on BT Sport Owen said: “He’s made a difference when he’s come on.
“If I saw him playing for any other team I’d say, ‘yeah, this kid’s got something and he’s going to be a good player.’
“But when I see them coming through Manchester United they have to be special, special. They have to be world class.
“Is Elanga and players like that going to take you to the league title or win the Champions League? Are they like Ryan Giggs or Wayne Rooney coming through?
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“He’s a very, very good player, but if I’m being brutally honest, if you’re asking me what I think of him, I think he’ll have a fantastic career, but he’ll do very, very well to be a Ryan Giggs or a Wayne Rooney.
“I know that’s comparing [Elanga to club legends], but that’s what Manchester United are. That’s what they’re aspiring to be, [what] they were and they’ve got to get back to that.
“If you’ve not got that absolute freakish talent, you’re not really going to be the right… we’ve just spoken about Marcus Rashford – he’s a phenomenal player – he’s got to find another level. Because at the minute they’re not playing like they’re going to win the Champions League or the league.”
Rio Ferdinand disagrees with his former team-mate, arguing Elanga adds a different dimension to Ralf Rangnick’s side.
His running in behind the Atletico defence led to his goal and posed a problem the Atleti backline had not faced prior to that moment.
Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “What [Elanga] brings is an energy, a desire, fearlessness. There’s not enough in this Man United team at times.
“I think to expect to have a young player come through like a Rooney or a Ryan Giggs is blue-sky thinking, that’s like generational-type stuff.
“I think Man United aren’t in that place now. They need sound characters, sound people, honest, hard-working players who you can build around.”
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