Its The Place To Learn

One size fits all rabbit costume

Sir Alex Ferguson is set to keep faith with the youngsters defeated by Besiktas last week when Manchester United face Tottenham at Old Trafford in the Carling Cup quarter-final. It means teenage trio Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda and Rafael Da Silva will all be involved, as well as Darron Gibson and Gabriel Obertan, who have just 25 first-team appearances between them. The quintet know they could get more regular action elsewhere but, as someone who has been in that position, Fletcher feels they will learn more by staying where they are. "A first-team game for Manchester United can mean the equivalent of playing 10 or 20 anywhere else. It is that big," said the Scotland skipper. "It is on so much of a higher scale.
"That was always echoed through the youth system and from my own experience I know it is true. "It is all very well training, and at a club like United you do pick up lots, but the more games these lads get, especially big matches like tonight's, the more they will learn. "These players need games. They are an important part of the squad and will probably be needed later on in the season, so we will feel the benefit right through the club." It is a view Ferguson shares, which is why he was so irritated by the criticism his players received last week and why, at the first appropriate opportunity, he launched a fierce counter-offensive.