Fosu-Mensah Learning From Experience

Tim Fosu-Mensah says it was a “special” experience to play his part in Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final win over Everton at Wembley.

Of course, the day could have ended differently for the defender and the Reds when Fosu-Mensah was adjudged to have fouled Ross Barkley in the area which led to a Toffees penalty. David De Gea’s spot-kick save delighted everyone in a red shirt, none more so than Fosu-Mensah who once again showed his quality.

The man himself was still buzzing when he spoke to ManUtd.com after the match and says he hopes he can build on what has been a very pleasing couple of months for him since breaking into the first team.

“It was special. It’s a great stadium and great atmosphere. It was very special to play in this stadium,” he beamed when asked to sum up the semi-final.

“It’s been an exciting few weeks but I still have to learn a lot of things and that’s what I’m trying to do. Keep learning, keep improving and try to develop as a player and train hard every day.”

Fosu-Mensah has recently contributed to helping the Reds go top of the clean sheets table in the league and he saluted the impressive defensive pairing of Chris Smalling and Daley Blind, plus the consistently fantastic form of De Gea as being key to the achievement.

“Chris and Daley communicate so well with me. Everyone in the defence is great, of course David as well. He’s a top goalkeeper and he saved us again on Saturday,” he added. “You can see the partnership between Daley and Chris and how they express themselves, they’re a great pair.

“I’m enjoying playing full-back but I’m happy to play anywhere the manager wants to put me. I just do my best and try my hardest.”

Jesse Lingard spoke before the semi-final about the fearlessness he, Fosu-Mensah, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have all played with this term. His team-mate concurs, but adds that the support from the experienced members of the squad has been invaluable.

“It’s about confidence but I think we all try to do what we always do and just play our football,” he continues. “We work hard, I work hard and I want to learn a lot. I’m open to learning a lot. I do my best and listen to the coaches and the senior players like Wayne, Carras, Chris and Daley. I listen to them all and try to do something with it.

“The senior players just help me with what I have to do on the pitch, where I have to stand sometimes and other things. It helps me a lot.”

The Dutch defender’s all-action displays have thrilled the United fans and, while he says it’s a great feeling to see the supporters’ reaction, he insists there is plenty more to come.

“I’m very delighted [to see the fans’ reaction] but, as I said, I have to keep working hard,” he insisted. “I just try to keep my head cool and try to do what I always do when I play and focus on playing my game.”

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Fosu-Mensah Learning From Experience

Fosu-Mensah Could Follow Schweinsteiger

Louis van Gaal has yet to determine the best position for Tim Fosu-Mensah and admits the Manchester United youngster could emulate Bastian Schweinsteiger’s switch at Bayern Munich.

United fans who have followed the Dutch defender’s rise through the ranks will have seen him excel in the centre-back, full-back and central midfield positions during spells for the Under-18s, Under-21s and most recently the first team.

When asked during Thursday’s press conference whether Fosu-Mensah’s future could be in midfield, the manager said the options are still open for the 18-year-old and recalled how he nurtured and converted a young Schweinsteiger when he was Bayern boss.

“It is dependable on vacancies in your squad,” declared van Gaal. “You have seen that players in my squad are playing in different positions than what they are used to in their former careers. It is also a little bit of luck.

When there is a vacancy and you think a young player has the quality to play there, you give him the chance. If he takes the chance then that makes him already mentally a good player.

“You cannot say that a player is [just] a full-back. You can see qualities and you make a profile of positions and then you look at the qualities of a player and see if he can fit that. Can he do that, can he perform that? Maybe he shall perform it and then he sticks to that position and then he is the best of all.

“You can ask Bastian Schweinsteiger who, at Bayern Munich, played on the right side, the right wing. I made him a centre midfielder because I looked at his profile and I thought that he can better play in the middle and he enjoys it more than on the right side. I have changed a lot of positions of players.”

Fosu-Mensah is just one of a number of young Reds who have impressed for the senior side this term, with Marcus Rashford being the one who has grabbed the headlines with seven goals in 13 games. Van Gaal reminded us of his track record of giving chances to budding players throughout his career.

“I have had that in all my clubs because I give youngsters the chance to do that,” he insisted. “My first club was AZ Alkmaar and I was trainer-coach of the second team, I then played with five players from my second team when I was first-team coach.

“At Ajax I had Patrick Kluivert, at 18, who made the same performance as Marcus Rashford. So, I can give a lot of examples of that, it is not new! At Bayern Munich it was Thomas Muller and in Barcelona Xavi was 18 and Iniesta 17. Motta was also 17 and he is now at Paris Saint Germain. It is not strange.

“The big issue is not age. It is quality.”

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Fosu-Mensah Could Follow Schweinsteiger