Where are they now? The Man Utd XI of Marcus Rashford's debut, 2016

Marcus Rashford has come a long way since his Manchester United debut, but what happened to his teammates that night in February 2016? We did some research to answer this question.

Without Will Keane's groin injury, Rashford probably wouldn't even have been on the bench for the Europa League tie with FC Midtjylland.

And, without Anthony Martial receiving a knock in the pre-match warm-up, the young striker couldn't have stepped onto the pitch to score twice and kick off an incredible career.

>

His United team-mates against Midtjylland were a delicious mix of names, so let's look at what they've become almost seven years later.

G: Sergio Romero

Despite helping Argentina reach the 2014 World Cup final, Romero was never United's first choice.

But the goalkeeper was crucial to the club's success in the Europa League in 2017, finding himself consistently chosen by Jose Mourinho and keeping a clean sheet against Ajax in the final.

However, having been limited to sporadic appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the 35-year-old was released in 2021 after slipping to third choice in the pecking order behind Dean Henderson.

"It was a strange year for me, but I trained all year at Manchester United. Some days I trained alone, as the team was preparing for a game," Romero said, describing the end of his six-year stay in Manchester.

AR: Guillermo Varela

Varela had to bide his time to break into the United squad, making 11 appearances in 2015-16, Van Gaal's final season in charge.

He returned to his native Uruguay with Penarol before returning to Europe with FC Copenhagen in December 2018. The defender made 53 appearances for the Danish side but is now plying his trade for Flamengo in Brazil.

“It would be a dream to return to Old Trafford,” Varela told The Sun in December 2019. “It would be a beautiful moment – ​​I look forward to that.

"I'm only 26. Of course I want to return to the Premier League at some point. In the future, maybe I can come back and play for Manchester United - I hope."

It's a dream that has not yet come true.

CD: Michael Carrick

Carrick was called up in an emergency defensive role in this Europa League encounter, but he was one of United's finest midfielders of the modern era.

Calm in possession, tactically brilliant and able to dictate play, the £18m signing from Tottenham overcame skepticism to become a United legend.

After hanging up his boots in 2018, he joined Mourinho's coaching staff at Old Trafford and later took up the goalkeeping role after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.

He left United shortly after Ralf Rangnick's appointment and is now Middlesbrough manager.

DC: Daley Blind

Blind joined United in 2014 from Ajax after being signed by compatriot Van Gaal.

Winning the Europa League in 2017 was his finest act at Old Trafford before returning to his boyhood club for a second stint.

And he's currently part of Van Gaal's Dutch side that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup; even more impressive considering he was diagnosed with a heart condition.

GM: Joe Riley (Marcos Rojo, 1979)

Riley also made his first United start in the Midtjylland rout, but it's safe to say he didn't enjoy the same professional success at Rashford.

The full-back joined Bradford City in League Two in 2018, but the club released him at the end of 2019-20. The 25-year-old signed for Walsall in the summer but has yet to make an appearance for the club.

Rojo has always appeared as a sandwich before a picnic and we are delighted to report that he continues to wreak havoc in his native Argentina with Boca Juniors.

MC: Ander Herrerra (Regan Poole, 1990)

Beloved of Van Gaal and Mourinho, Herrerra can always be counted on to change United's midfield - and we suspect there are scars on Eden Hazard's legs to prove it.

The Spaniard then joined PSG. His diligent - some would say rambling - approach was not appreciated in Paris as much as it was in Manchester and, after his contract was terminated, moved to boyhood club Athletic Bilbao this year.

Poole's only United appearance came as a last-minute substitute in that heavy Europa League victory.

He later revealed that Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Rashford had taken him under their wing at the club, telling the BBC: "They know it takes time. Sometimes I get a little too quick and they tell me 'take your time' and 'slow down'."

After being released by the club in 2019, Poole signed for MK Dons on a free transfer, where he remained for 18 months before joining League One side Lincoln City in January...

Where are they now? The Man Utd XI of Marcus Rashford's debut, 2016

Marcus Rashford has come a long way since his Manchester United debut, but what happened to his teammates that night in February 2016? We did some research to answer this question.

Without Will Keane's groin injury, Rashford probably wouldn't even have been on the bench for the Europa League tie with FC Midtjylland.

And, without Anthony Martial receiving a knock in the pre-match warm-up, the young striker couldn't have stepped onto the pitch to score twice and kick off an incredible career.

>

His United team-mates against Midtjylland were a delicious mix of names, so let's look at what they've become almost seven years later.

G: Sergio Romero

Despite helping Argentina reach the 2014 World Cup final, Romero was never United's first choice.

But the goalkeeper was crucial to the club's success in the Europa League in 2017, finding himself consistently chosen by Jose Mourinho and keeping a clean sheet against Ajax in the final.

However, having been limited to sporadic appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the 35-year-old was released in 2021 after slipping to third choice in the pecking order behind Dean Henderson.

"It was a strange year for me, but I trained all year at Manchester United. Some days I trained alone, as the team was preparing for a game," Romero said, describing the end of his six-year stay in Manchester.

AR: Guillermo Varela

Varela had to bide his time to break into the United squad, making 11 appearances in 2015-16, Van Gaal's final season in charge.

He returned to his native Uruguay with Penarol before returning to Europe with FC Copenhagen in December 2018. The defender made 53 appearances for the Danish side but is now plying his trade for Flamengo in Brazil.

“It would be a dream to return to Old Trafford,” Varela told The Sun in December 2019. “It would be a beautiful moment – ​​I look forward to that.

"I'm only 26. Of course I want to return to the Premier League at some point. In the future, maybe I can come back and play for Manchester United - I hope."

It's a dream that has not yet come true.

CD: Michael Carrick

Carrick was called up in an emergency defensive role in this Europa League encounter, but he was one of United's finest midfielders of the modern era.

Calm in possession, tactically brilliant and able to dictate play, the £18m signing from Tottenham overcame skepticism to become a United legend.

After hanging up his boots in 2018, he joined Mourinho's coaching staff at Old Trafford and later took up the goalkeeping role after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.

He left United shortly after Ralf Rangnick's appointment and is now Middlesbrough manager.

DC: Daley Blind

Blind joined United in 2014 from Ajax after being signed by compatriot Van Gaal.

Winning the Europa League in 2017 was his finest act at Old Trafford before returning to his boyhood club for a second stint.

And he's currently part of Van Gaal's Dutch side that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup; even more impressive considering he was diagnosed with a heart condition.

GM: Joe Riley (Marcos Rojo, 1979)

Riley also made his first United start in the Midtjylland rout, but it's safe to say he didn't enjoy the same professional success at Rashford.

The full-back joined Bradford City in League Two in 2018, but the club released him at the end of 2019-20. The 25-year-old signed for Walsall in the summer but has yet to make an appearance for the club.

Rojo has always appeared as a sandwich before a picnic and we are delighted to report that he continues to wreak havoc in his native Argentina with Boca Juniors.

MC: Ander Herrerra (Regan Poole, 1990)

Beloved of Van Gaal and Mourinho, Herrerra can always be counted on to change United's midfield - and we suspect there are scars on Eden Hazard's legs to prove it.

The Spaniard then joined PSG. His diligent - some would say rambling - approach was not appreciated in Paris as much as it was in Manchester and, after his contract was terminated, moved to boyhood club Athletic Bilbao this year.

Poole's only United appearance came as a last-minute substitute in that heavy Europa League victory.

He later revealed that Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Rashford had taken him under their wing at the club, telling the BBC: "They know it takes time. Sometimes I get a little too quick and they tell me 'take your time' and 'slow down'."

After being released by the club in 2019, Poole signed for MK Dons on a free transfer, where he remained for 18 months before joining League One side Lincoln City in January...

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