What struck me most about Chido Obi against Fulham in the FA Cup was that he seemed to play with complete freedom where you feel that others, such as Rasmus Hojlund, seems to play with the weight of the world on their shoulders.
There is no doubt that OBI seems a bit raw, which is normal at the age of 17 with only 73 minutes from the first team promotion to date, but he looks extremely physical.
The only thing for me at the age of 17 was that I still developed physically, but Obi, anyone who can of Calvin Bassey of the ball can muscles like he did, also take your hat. Physically he looks like he's there and then he also looks explosive.
There are certain elements of his game, I am sure he is working hard, but to go at Premier League level, at the highest level, and are physically able to cope. He dealt very well in that aspect. Now the challenge is for him to refine his skills as much as everything.
He looks fearless for me. That is what you get from young players because he was not part of this wrestling team.
I think that Fans of Manchester United are looking for someone or something to stick to now and although we don't have to go over the top, since he finds his feet, he is incredibly exciting as a prospect.
In my early years in the old first division I felt that the most important thing from my perspective was the feeling that I could deal with the level and belong there. It was important, I felt that you feel that the level was not beyond and it's ok, you are meant to be there.
I was in the youth team in Norwich City, then the reserves, and there was a path to the first team. Injuries arrive and you get the chance in addition to players you had watched on television as OBI is experiencing now. Then you go against them and you think: “Blimey, I can cope” and you get confidence in that.
I am thinking of the first match of Wayne Rooney for Everton against Arsenal when he came up and the only noticeable was how strong and robust and powerful he was. It was an eye opening.
Obi is of course not Rooney, of course, but you have to deal with and opposing defenders often look at young players who think they can physically dominate them.
But OBI showed me enough of a threat in his cameies, especially against Fulham, for people to sit up and get to know. If defenders now come across him, they will certainly not consider him self -evident.
Look when Obi came up against Fulham and everything was so natural and he was not thought of things; He played as if he would normally be for the youth sides and with a freedom he shows with his own age group. Then everything comes out: the pace, the power, his rawness.
Neither do defenders know what kind of player he is. I am sure that everyone will sit upright and now be aware of him with managers who feed information about his threat in pieces.
He remains something of an unknown amount that could work to his advantage.
United is looking for something to hold and maybe this season is that Obi. There is always the danger that too much expectation will be made to a young player. But he has shown moments.
When he rolled Bassey, you thought “blimey, wow”. For someone to roll and disable Spierbassey, you don't see that too often and he is only 17, so you think, imagine where he will be with another two-three year development.
The key now with Manchester United and the way they played this season is that they do not want to beat the natural element of his game. That was a bit exciting to him. It was new, fresh and nobody knew what to expect. You just don't want him to be dragged down by the malaise that is going on at United.
Ethan Nwaneri is only 17, but at the moment he is the most reliable arsenal.
It is a short period to judge him, but he looks like a player who has gone into the side of Mikel Arteta with that confidence, that arrogance – which I think you need – but more importantly the way he sees and reads the game. He looks like he's been around for years.
He can play in every position along the front, but the position of Martin Odegaard is actually his best position that I was told, which is really interesting because it tells you that he has a huge football brain.
The other night in Eindhoven, similar to OBI in that, his physicality noticed at such a young age.
I think it is a huge thing to enter 5 pm and to have that physicality and that pace and strength. He has a huge football brain.
I always think that when you are in one of those central areas, you must have that consciousness of everything that happens around you. You don't play as broad players on the touchline, and that tells you a lot about him.
When I was a young player at Norwich, I was really full of it. Nobody could tell me anything if you have that bravoure. If he would go to him and imposes himself as he did, I think that is quite rare.
The player he reminds me from my younger days was Ryan Giggs when he first came to the Manchester United team. He was absolutely fearless.
Who knows now that Nwaneri will have the career that giggs has become, but to compare him with someone who came in and absolutely gave the impression that they were sure of herself at such a young age and that game was understanding, it is a good comparison.
People say that scoring goals is the most difficult thing in the game, but there is an argument to say how many players who have the ability to actually pass by defenders and be a dribbler?
He has a good mix in his game that he can do it all: slide a pass, create a chance, take a man on one versus one and that understanding to go in both sides. If you become a one-trick pony and always try to come and try to read that within the best defenders and you will be easy to play against.
In Eindhoven against PSV, Nwaneri Manchester United -loaner Tyrell Malacia destroyed.
Malacia is still a good defender, even if it didn't work at Old Trafford and yet Nwaneri let him look that way. That would have been impressive if he was 25 or 26 years old and in the prime of his career. To do that at the age of 17 was incredible.
The other that I really like about him is in the first half against PSV that they were ahead and the most important player of PSV is a man named Noah Lang, and he has a good defender in Jurrien Timber behind him.
For a long time it was quite quiet in the evening, but he had a few bursts for the peace and Nwaneri's work-ethical and ran 50-60 meters back to doubles with wood stood out. That is what players have to do, but it remains so impressive to see that desire and that understanding of the defensive side of the game, too.
There are young players who come to the first team and they want to show the manager how competent they are and what they are capable of with the ball – but you have to show yourself on the other side of the game and for Nwaneri who really stands out.
The challenge for him is now his application and not to let things go to his head.
The fact that he has the understanding, can play or dribble and play outside, you will not be free.
Teams will learn that you have to double him. It doesn't matter how experienced your full-back is, there are players like Nwaneri who can destroy someone in one versus one situation. There will be a level of respect in the Premier League and in the European competition that they have seen enough of Nwaneri to know that they should pay attention to him.
He is the one in recent weeks who played as if he was not under pressure or chained by the pressure of a title race. He has been their progress.
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