Scholes and Butt say why moment is perfect for Lacey and Fletcher to shine at Man Utd

Shea Lacey and Jack Fletcher may have the "luck" they need to shine with a long list of players missing from Manchester United say two club legends.

Ruben Amorim is facing a crisis with Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo both injured in midfield while Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui are at the African Cup of Nations.

While at the same time in defence Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt are also injured.

But at the same time this is an opportunity for young players to show their worth and stake a claim in the first team say Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt who highlight the case of Marcus Rashford.

"When you think sometimes you need a bit of luck and you need a bit of luck for someone to go to AFCON," said Scholes.

"When you think of Marcus Rashford remember the game he played, the centre forward who was actually supposed to be playing actually got injured in the warm up."

And Butt continued: "It was Van Gaal - one of the forwards got injured who was training."

Scholes said: "It was in the warm up for the game wasn't it," and Butt replied: "It was the day before."

And chatting on The Good, The Bad and The Football, Scholes said: "I thought it was the warm-up of the game, someone got injured."

Butt recalled: "It might have been that, but to get him in the squad, someone got injured, so you might be right, someone got injured the day before the game, so it's like, we need a forward. He's literally gone like this, and went, bring him over. That's Marcus.

"But I always remember, there's a lad called James Wilson. Wilo, he was a phenomenal young player. He made his debut for Giggs. When Ryan was in charge, scored two goals in his debut. And when I say an unbelievable player, he was ridiculous as a young player.

"I don't think he was as dedicated to be a footballer as he should have been and that's what probably held him back but anyway he was out on loan."

And Butt told how going out on loan can work against you as a player.

"I remember talking to Wilo a few years later and I think he said something to me which was right. Loans aren't always perfect to go out, everyone says go out on loan and play football," he said.

"But if you're not in the building when you are needed you might miss out and that's what I genuinely think.

"So if Wilo had been there at that moment when Marcus was brought on, James Wilson would have been on that pitch by virtue of James being two years older than Marcus, they would have asked the the coach or me, who'd you take?

"You take James because he was ahead of Marcus, he was older and he naturally should have been going before Marcus, but not taking anything away from Marcus -what he did was phenomenal. Being at the right place at the right time."

Scholes agreed: "He's never looked back from that point and that was a better look just a bit of luck."

Butt now talking about Fletcher and Lacey said: "The lads now you're talking about, everyone needs luck, you come in you do well, the spotlight is on you, you're going in with good people or someone is injured.

"There's always an element of luck to get into the first team, especially at a big club like Man Utd, you've got to have luck."