{"id":1131391,"date":"2021-03-30T14:50:31","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T13:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1131391"},"modified":"2021-03-30T14:50:49","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T13:50:49","slug":"man-utd-forgotten-players-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/man-utd-forgotten-players-premier-league\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight Premier League footballers you (probably) forgot had spells at Man Utd"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the majority of the Premier League era, Manchester United have been a relentless machine, winning numerous major honours.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout that time, the Red Devils’ squad has been packed full of world-class talent, which has made it difficult for young players at the club to make their mark.<\/p>\n

There have been notable exceptions, of course, with Fergie’s Fledglings – Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes — while in recent times, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford have both made significant contributions.<\/p>\n

Other highly-rated prospects ultimately failed to establish themselves at Old Trafford due to the plethora of talent blocking their path to the first-team, yet have gone on to impress elsewhere in the top-flight.<\/p>\n

Here are eight such players who you may have forgotten ever pulled on the red shirt.<\/p>\n

1. Robbie Brady<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Manchester United appearances:\u00a0<\/strong>1<\/p>\n

Current club:\u00a0<\/strong>Burnley<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Like King, Robbie Brady joined Manchester United’s academy in January 2008 after impressing the club’s scouts while playing for St. Kevin’s Boys in Ireland, a club that has produced the likes of Damien Duff, Liam Brady and Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick.<\/p>\n

He was an unused substitute in the League Cup game in which King debuted and had to wait nearly two years to make his first appearance, coming on as an 86th-minute replacement in a victory over Newcastle United in the same competition.<\/p>\n

Despite struggling to force his way into the first-team setup at Old Trafford, Brady has impressed in the Premier League for Hull City, Norwich and Burnley, as well as the Republic of Ireland national team.<\/p>\n

2. Craig Cathcart<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Manchester United appearances:\u00a0<\/strong>0<\/p>\n

Current club:\u00a0<\/strong>Watford<\/span><\/p>\n

He might not have managed his breakthrough at Manchester United, but Craig Cathcart has forged a hugely respectable career for himself as a reliable Premier League and international centre-back with Watford and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

Cathcart was called up to Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team squad as a result of an injury to Nemanja Vidic back in 2007 and found himself among the substitutes for United’s famous 7-1 win over Roma, as well as an FA Cup semi-final win over future club Watford.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t to be at Old Trafford, however, and the 31-year-old is now fast-approaching 200 appearances for Watford, playing a key role in helping the Hornets become a competitive Premier League force in recent years, though they’re now back down in the Championship.<\/p>\n

3. Phil Bardsley<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Manchester United appearances:\u00a0<\/strong>18<\/p>\n

Current club:\u00a0<\/strong>Burnley<\/p>\n

Rated as a promising youth prospect when he was progressing the ranks, Phil Bardsley was handed the No.34 shirt and given a couple of run-outs in the League Cup during the 2003-04 season.<\/p>\n

A couple of years later, he managed 15 games in all competitions, including eight in the Premier League, as Gary Neville struggled with injury problems, but he made just one more appearance after that campaign concluded.<\/p>\n

In January 2008, Bardsley joined a host of former United players at Sunderland, where he plied his trade until a move to Stoke in 2014.<\/p>\n

He joined Sean Dyche’s Burnley in July 2017.<\/p>\n

4. Danny Drinkwater<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Manchester United appearances:\u00a0<\/strong>0<\/p>\n

Current club: <\/strong>Kas\u0131mpa\u015fa <\/span>(on loan from Chelsea)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Premier League winner with Leicester City, who he joined in 2012, Danny Drinkwater began his career with United, though failed to make a senior appearance. The closest he got was making the bench against Hull City in the last game of the 2008\/09 season.<\/p>\n

He spent 13 years there and signed his first pro contract with the Red Devils in 2008, undergoing loan spells with Huddersfield, Cardiff, Watford and Barnsley before being sold to Leicester.<\/p>\n

Drinkwater joined Chelsea in 2017 but injuries and personal issues have limited him to just 12 Premier League appearances for the Blues.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old spent the first half of last season on loan at Burnley before sealing a temporary switch to Aston Villa, though neither move worked out. He’s now in Turkey with Kas\u0131mpa\u015fa, still on loan from Chelsea.<\/span><\/p>\n


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