James Wilson's Manchester United Career Still Blossoming but Full of Promise

It's a sign of how highly Louis van Gaal rates James Wilson that when Wayne Rooney was ruled out of Tuesday's game with Stoke City, it was the teenager, rather than Radamel Falcao, who took his place.

Falcao has only just returned from a calf injury, but he's in desperate need of match fitness, and Van Gaal will have been tempted to throw him in. Wilson, however, has earned his chance.

Asked afterwards what he had made of the 19-year-old's performance against Stoke, Van Gaal declined the opportunity to shower him with praise. 

Instead, in quotes carried by the Manchester Evening News, the United manager questioned why Wilson hadn't finished his one clear chance before Stoke's late flurry.

"

Wilson could have finished it, Fellaini could have finished it. In England when it is like that you know the coach of the other team shall do something and with Peter Crouch we knew in advance it is difficult to defend long balls.

But it was a great save from David de Gea and we had a little bit of luck from Ashley Young when he cleared it off the line. You have to see the whole match and say there is one team that deserved it and that is Manchester United.

"

Van Gaal didn't feel the need to sugar-coat it. Indeed, the Dutchman was right; Wilson probably should have scored after racing through in the second half. 

In the Dutchman's post-match press conference, he was treated like any other member of the squad, not a teenager still learning the game. 

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He's one of Van Gaal's four strikers after stepping up to take Danny Welbeck's place in the squad. And he's expected to score goals just like Robin van Persie, Rooney or Falcao, regardless of his age.

The competition in the squad, and the reduced number of games this season, means Wilson will find chances hard to come by when everyone is fit. 

Caught in the difficult position of being too good for the under-21s but not entirely ready for the Premier League, he might look at next season as his real chance to break through.

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With the likely return of Champions League football, Van Gaal will be forced to rotate more often, opening the door for fringe players like Wilson. 

It's still very early in Wilson's senior career. Not yet out of his teens, it's almost impossible to know how he's going to develop. But the early signs, on show against Stoke, are positive. 

It might not be until next season that the United fans see what he's capable of in the first team. But there's plenty for them to be excited about, as his manager can vouch for.