Glorious Greenwood – Mason eclipses United’s teenage stars to enter record books

Mason Greenwood became Manchester United’s most prolific Premier League goalscoring teenager when he put the Red Devils ahead in their win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

The 19-year-old, who does not turn 20 until October 1, surpassed some of the biggest names in the club’s recent history as he scored his 16th league goal.

Here, the PA news agency looks at Greenwood and the players who he has eclipsed.

Mason Greenwood – 16

Greenwood made his Premier League debut at the age of 17 in a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal towards the end of the 2018/19 season.

His unerring ability in front of goal had seen him score plenty for the youth teams and he was soon finding the back of the next in the Europa League and Carabao Cup.

A first Premier League goal would come in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Sheffield United on November 24, 2019.

Since then he has been in and out of the team but has still been able to become United’s leading teenage marksman in the Premier League having found the back of the net in Sunday’s victory at Aston Villa.

Wayne Rooney – 15

Rooney joined from Everton as an 18-year-old in the summer of 2004 and announced his arrival in style with a Champions League hat-trick on his debut.

His first league goal came on his 19th birthday as United were 2-0 winners over Arsenal at Old Trafford, bringing an end to the Gunners’ 49-match unbeaten run.

He would move onto 15 goals just under a year later, his last Premier League strike as a teen coming in a 3-1 win at Sunderland.

Greenwood will have to go some to follow in Rooney’s footsteps beyond his formative years as the future club captain would go on to become United and England’s all-time leading goalscorer before retiring last year.

Marcus Rashford – 13

Just two years earlier than Greenwood in making his Premier League debut, Rashford was another teenager who hit the ground running for the Red Devils.

An injury crisis saw him thrown into the starting line-up for a Europa League clash with FC Midtjylland in February 2016 and he marked his debut with a brace, then repeated the feat on his
Premier League bow against Arsenal three days later.

His 13th – and last – league goal as a teenager came in less auspicious circumstances as he hit the consolation in a 2-1 loss at Huddersfield on October 21, 2017.

Rashford currently sits on 87 goals for United and has scored 11 times for England, with Greenwood’s current path showing signs of paralleling that of his team-mate.

Ryan Giggs – 12

Giggs had already firmly established himself in United’s first team by the time of the Premier League’s formation.

The first of the now-fabled ‘Class of 92’ to be make the breakthrough into Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, the Wales international enjoyed a fine career at Old Trafford.

He made his First Division debut in March 1991 and would score his first Premier League goal in a 1-1 draw at Tottenham in just his third appearance in the competition.

Giggs would never look back, ending his playing days with 13 Premier League titles and 168 goals in a club-record 963 appearances.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 8

Signed from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2003, Ronaldo arrived with a high-level of expectation which he would go on to surpass by some distance.

The Portugal forward has become one of the most renowned goalscorers in European football history but it took him time to find his scoring boots at Old Trafford.

Eased into the team by Ferguson, Ronaldo would open his account on November 1, 2003 with a goal in a 3-0 victory over Portsmouth.

His last Premier League goals as a teenager came as he struck twice in a 4-2 win at Arsenal but he would go on to add a further 110 goals before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009.