Facundo Pellistri got off the mark with his first goal for Manchester United’s Under-23s in their 3-1 over Southampton on Friday evening.
The 18-year-old joined United in a £9 million deal from Uruguayan side Penarol in September but has not yet made his senior debut.
Pellistri has been training with the first team following his arrival at Old Trafford and has been regularly featuring for the Under-23s.
And in his fifth appearance for United’s youth side, Pellistri finally opened his account with a goal in the second half against Southampton.
The Uruguayan winger combined well with Shola Shoretire on the halfway line before he ended a strong run with a calm left-footed finish.
Anthony Elanga and United’s highly rated young Spanish midfielder Arnau Puigmal got the other two goals for the Under-23s to seal the 3-1 win.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said this week that Pellistri has made a positive impact in training with the first team and has suggested a senior debut for the young winger is not far away.
‘Facundo has come in trained with the first-team, he’s done well,’ Solskjaer said on Friday.
‘We felt now is time for him to get game time.
‘He played a couple of games in reserves, gradually settled in nicely and is more used to us.’
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