Garnacho, Mainoo and the Man Utd wonderkids to watch in the FA Youth Cup final

Manchester United is a club that prides itself on the success of its academy, with homegrown players having consistently formed the backbone of the Red Devils' line up for decades.

It has been 11 years, however, since they tasted success in the FA Youth Cup, when a team led by Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard beat a Sheffield United side containing Harry Maguire to lift the trophy.

Future England internationals Michael Keane and Sam Johnstone were also in the Red Devils' team in 2011, marking it out at one of the most successful academy groups in recent United history.

On Wednesday, the current clutch of Under-18s will be out to repeat the success of that much-vaunted generation, as they take on Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup Final at Old Trafford.

Over 65,000 tickets have been sold for the game, allowing United's young stars the opportunity to play in front of a bumper crowd at the Theatre of Dreams for what will be, for most of them, the first time.

But who are the players who could follow in the footsteps of Pogba and Lingard in becoming stars of the United first team? GOAL breaks down six players who have the talent to make the step up over the next few years...

Alejandro Garnacho

The undoubted star of United's run to the final, forward Garnacho has scored five goals and assisted three more in the five ties that Travis Binnion's side have played in the Youth Cup so far this season.

Signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020 amid competition from Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, Garnacho has really kicked on this season, with his eye for the spectacular and tendency to mimic iconic celebrations quickly making him a favourite among regular youth-team watchers.

The 17-year-old, who plays predominantly off the left-hand side, has been rewarded for his form in United's age-group teams with a promotion to the first-team squad, and made his debut as a substitute against Chelsea in late April.

Garnacho also got his first taste of senior international football in March after he was called up to the Argentina squad, allowing him the chance to train alongside Lionel Messi for his country while he picks up tips from Cristiano Ronaldo at club level.

If he can have anywhere near the career of those two legends, then United will have some player on their hands!

Charlie McNeill

The term 'goal machine' is thrown around when discussing potent strikers, but no youth player has encapsulated that moniker more in Manchester in recent years than Charlie McNeill.

The 18-year-old scored over 600 goals for Manchester City as he came through ranks at the Etihad Campus, before United paid £750,000 ($1m) to bring the boyhood Red Devils fan across the city in 2020.

McNeill continued to find the net with regularity in his first season with the club, scoring 24 goals in 21 league games for the U18s, and has scored five times in as many Youth Cup matches this term.

A true penalty box striker, McNeill's finishing ability belies his lack of experience, while he possesses the self-confidence that many more seasoned professionals could only dream of.

Expect him and Garnacho to lead the line against Forest, and cause the visiting centre-backs plenty of headaches.

Kobbie Mainoo

One of the youngest members of United's U18s side might well be their most talented, with midfielder Mainoo having earned rave reviews all season long.

He only turned 17 in April, but Mainoo has dictated games for Binnion's team at times, while also scoring twice on their run to Wednesday's final.

Likened to Pogba for the way he is able to embarrass opponents with bits of skill or his trademark nutmegs, the England youth international is also able to drive forward from midfield, while his eye for goal comes from him starting his career as a striker.

It would be no surprise to anyone at United if Mainoo went onto have the best career of any player in this current youth team, and there are even those who believe he should be earning first-team chances next season.

Isak Hansen-Aaroen

Perhaps the most technically gifted member of this United team, Hansen-Aaroen has already tasted senior football after making his first-team debut for boyhood club Tromso in July 2020.

That made him the youngest player in the club's history, though he departed his native Norway a few months later, as United held off competition from Liverpool and Everton to bring him to Old Trafford.

Injuries have limited the 17-year-old's development somewhat, but there are those who believe he can turn into a Luka Modric-type player if is given the time to hone his craft over the next couple of years.

He may have to fill out physically a little, even if his diminutive stature has not held him back overly so far, to truly reach his ceiling, but Hansen-Aaroen certainly has the ability to thrive at the highest level.

Marc Jurado

Over the past five years, within the walls of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, 'Generation 2004' has been spoken about with real excitement, as a group of players swept all before them as they came through the ranks together.

The leaders of that group, Gavi and Ilias Akhomach, have emerged at first-team level for the Blaugrana, but one has already flown the nest, with Marc Jurado having taken the decision to leave and join United in the summer of 2020.

The 18-year-old has since taken up the captain's armband for the U18s, as his performances from right-back showcase a real maturity and understanding of how the modern game works.

Jurado does not put up the numbers of goals and assists that some of the modern full-backs do at the professional level, but he can offer an outlet going forward while maintaining discipline from a defensive point of view.

There is certainly room for improvement, but he will go about it from a higher floor than most players of his age.

Daniel Gore

The most attacking of United's usual midfield trio, Gore uses his pace and strength to great effect when playing against opponents his own age.

Signed from Burnley in 2018, the 17-year-old has really kicked on over the course of the 2021-22 season, becoming a regular starter after beginning the campaign on the bench.

A dribbler with great technique, he now needs to work on increasing his goal output if he is to take his game to the level where he can force his way into the United first team.

Gore certainly has the technical ability to do just that, and could yet be a match-winner for United in their showpiece final this week.