Chido Obi: The 'special' Man Utd academy striker makes debut

Aged 17 years and 79 days old, Chido Obi becomes United's third-youngest ever Premier League player, behind only Angel Gomes (16 years 263 days) and Shola Shoretire (17 years 19 days).

For a 17-year-old with no senior appearances to his name, there was already plenty of hype around Manchester United's Chido Obi.

The teenage striker had trained with the first team this week after scoring a clinical hat-trick in a 5-1 FA Youth Cup win over Chelsea at Leigh Sports Village on Wednesday.

Less than a week later and Obi was given his full debut, coming on in injury time with United 1-0 down at Tottenham on Sunday. He didn't get a single touch.

However, by playing those last couple of minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Obi becomes the 252nd academy player to make his senior debut, following United's long, rich history of promoting youth products into the first team. Toby Collyer was the 251st earlier this season.

Obi was part of a very youthful United bench, with eight teenagers alongside 30-year-old Victor Lindelof, giving Amorim's substitute options an average age of just under 20 years.

Aged 17 years and 79 days old, Obi becomes United's third-youngest ever Premier League player, behind only Angel Gomes (16 years 263 days) and Shola Shoretire (17 years 19 days).

Asked about giving Obi his debut, United manager Ruben Amorim said: "If you see Chido playing, he is clever with every ball lost in the box, so I wanted one more player.

"But I felt the team was good during the game and I didn't need to change. Chido was that one player who could, with one long ball, make the difference."

Number 56 Chido Obi, right, comes on to replace Manchester United's number 18 Casemiro, left, to make his full debut

United are short of goals and attacking options because of a spate of injuries, poor form and loaning out Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony.

Obi has 12 goals in nine FA Youth Cup and Under-18 league matches this season, adding to his all-time record of 41 goals in total in the Premier League U18 competition.

United signed Obi from Arsenal last year when his schoolboy terms expired, and Gunners fans on social media were lamenting the one that got away as soon as reports of Kai Havertz's season-ending injury broke last week.

Obi is from Denmark and his family moved to the UK shortly before he was scouted by Arsenal playing in Hackney aged 13.

United were able to convince him to join them, in part - according to reports in the Athletic - because of their record of promoting youth players into the first team.

Obi was 6ft 2in at just 16 years old and once scored 10 goals in one game, aged 15, against Liverpool at Under-16 level.

Amorim was cautious when asked directly about Obi before an FA Cup victory over Leicester earlier this month.

"He's doing his job," said the Portuguese. "He's improving and playing in the youth teams. We will see at the end of the season."

Chido Obi pictured before the game

'Tall, strong, rapid' - Obi scouting report

BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone:

Watching Obi in the flesh, first against Preston last month and then against Chelsea last week, showed the striker has plenty of positive attributes. He is tall, strong athletic - and rapid.

It is easy to see how he was noticed by Arsenal - and many others - soon after arriving in London with his family from Denmark, and why the Gunners had high hopes for the youngster, who qualifies for Denmark, England and Nigeria.

When the deal went through in October, he proudly declared: "I am very happy to sign with this amazing club. Time to focus and achieve all my dreams." He then signed his first professional contract when turning 17 late last year.

Obi was eased in at his new club as he needed to get over a niggling injury. But it has not taken him long to make a sustained impact.

Obi initially went largely unnoticed against Chelsea last Wednesday at Leigh Sports Village. Then he scored. And again. And again.

United were a goal behind and not playing particularly well when Jaydan Kamason chipped a pass into the right attacking channel. Obi arced his run across the Chelsea defence, then held off a defender before applying the finish.

He didn't have to wait long for his hat-trick, turning home his second - and United's fourth - from a low cross, before sweeping home a loose ball to complete his treble after a couple of wasted opportunities.

He even has a range of celebrations, using Rashford's trademark finger to the temple when he scored his second.

Obi left the field to the loudest ovation of the night, getting a warm hug of congratulation from head coach Adam Lawrence on his way off.

"I'd like to see him in the first team," said Steve Owens, a United fan from Bolton who was at the Chelsea game.

"He's always in the right place, is good with his feet, is fast and can finish. He has definitely got it."

Obi has overtaken Ellis Simms (36 for Everton) and Folarin Balogun (34 for Arsenal) for the most goals in Premier League Under-18 division history