Michael Carrick delighted with Manchester United's youngsters

Shades of Fergie's fledglings in Louis' lads

Rashford broke the deadlock early in the second-half (Getty Images)

Manchester United’s best moments at Upton Park during Wednesday’s victory over West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-final replay came via Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard who were excellent in attack, especially during the early stages of the second half. The three youngsters (aged 19, 20 and 23) certainly hint at a brighter future for the Old Trafford club. Could it be Louis’ lads that keep Van Gaal in a job next season with an FA Cup victory to keep the critics at bay? After all, it was Fergie’s first batch of Fledglings that – so the story goes – saved the Scot from the sack when they won the famous old pot back in 1990.

Michael Carrick, for one, believes Rashford is here to stay after watching his United team-mate fire in a stunning goal that set his side on the way to victory. And the captain on the night sees a bright future for his club thanks to the youngsters bursting on to the scene.

“It was an incredible goal,” Carrick said of Rashford’s curling right-foot strike that followed a couple of dummies that befuddled West Ham defender James Tomkins. “It’s so good to see young lads come in and do well and take their chances. And not in his wildest dreams could he have predicted what’s happened to him in the last two or three months.”

Rashford has now scored six goals in 11 games since breaking into the team – including two in a win over Arsenal at Old Trafford and the only goal that settled the Manchester derby. However, despite such a sensational start to his United career, Carrick said that the 19-year-old remains level-headed.

“He has kept his feet on the ground,” Carrick told MUTV. “He doesn’t change and he works hard, listens and is willing to learn and he has a great chance of staying at the top for a long time. I don’t think he’s a flash in the pan. I don’t think he’s in and out. I think he is here to stay and goals like that, we will welcome more of them.

“There is a lot of talk about Marcus and rightly so but you forget how young Anthony is and how well he has done this season and there is a real pace and intent with the attacking play. I thought we looked dangerous.”

Carrick is now looking to plug that gap in his CV – the missing FA Cup winner’s medal , with Everton next up in the semi-final on April 23. “I am delighted to get to the semis,” the midfielder said. “It means a lot I am desperate to go through in this competition. It was a long last 10 minutes but we defended well enough and David [De Gea] has helped us out. We should have probably been more comfortable, especially in the second half.

“We haven’t done well enough in recent times in this competition and we are desperate to go all the way. It’s been a season of setbacks and then good results and it’s frustrating. We keep trying to get that consistency but the Cup game was a one-off and we are delighted to get through.”

Van Gaal was equally chuffed with his side’s victory at a tough ground to play at. “It’s a difficult place because they didn’t lose [for a long time at Upton Park]. They have beaten all the top teams there but I have to say we have shown that [spirit] more than once. Also against Everton and after the defeat against Liverpool. We were 1-0 behind against West Ham and we still fought to the end. That [shows] the spirit in the team is very good. It is a fantastic result and I am very happy that I shall come to Wembley as a manager.”