Irish-eligible midfielder Jack Moorhouse could be set for his big break at Manchester United, with the club plunged into an injury crisis ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Both Spurs and United are enduring dreadful seasons by the standards their fans have come to expect, and find themselves stuck firmly in the bottom half of the table.
The hosts for Sunday's clash have been struck down by persistent injury issues all season, with almost a full starting lineup's worth of senior players currently out injured for Ange Postecoglou's struggling Spurs.
It seems as though Ruben Amorim may now have a crisis of his own at Manchester United, with several midfielders seemingly ruled out of this weekend's tie.
Reports suggest this could present a massive opportunity for U21 star Jack Moorhouse to make his mark on the United senior squad.
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Jack Moorhouse in contention for Manchester United spot
Manchester United expert Laurie Whitwell of the Athletic reported on Saturday afternoon that Kobbie Mainoo is likely to be out for several weeks with an injury sustained in training this week.
The loss of Mainoo is gutting for Amorim and United, but it is compounded by the fact that fellow academy product Toby Collyer and summer signing Manuel Ugarte are both doubts for Sunday's game in North London.
Whitwell confirmed that youth player Jack Moorhouse has travelled with the senior squad to London as a result of the injury crisis in midfield, and is in the mix to make a senior United squad for the first time.
19-year-old midfielder Moorhouse has impressed Amorim since the Portuguese coach took over in November, and has trained with the first team squad on occasion. Nathan Salt of the Daily Mail suggests that Moorhouse has been on Amorim's radar to join the senior squad since December.
Moorhouse's ball carrying is one of his standout traits, and his progressiveness in midfield is something that Manchester United have been sorely lacking.
He has scored three goals in seven PL2 appearances for United's U21s this year, including against Tottenham's U21s just last week.
Though born in England, Moorhouse is eligible to play for Ireland, and was called into an U19s training camp in the summer of 2023.
He is yet to play for either nation at underage level.
The last player from the Republic of Ireland to play at senior level for Manchester United was Robbie Brady in 2012. Should Moorhouse line out against Spurs on Sunday, he will most certainly be on the radar of Heimir Hallgrímsson and the Ireland staff.
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