Carrick hails JJ Gabriel's 'really big talent' as he sets out plan for Man Utd star

Michael Carrick hails JJ Gabriel as "really big talent" and sets out plan for Manchester United youngster.

The 15-year-old was one of the standout performers as United's Under-21s began their Premier League 2 campaign with a 5-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Monday.

Gabriel scored once and provided two assists as Adam Lawrence's side produced a dominant display, with Carrick watching the game.

The teenager's performance has increased expectation over one of the most highly rated players in United's academy, but Carrick was keen to stress that Gabriel remains part of a wider development process.

“JJ's one of the boys. He's obviously got a really big talent," he said.

“He's trained with us quite a bit, he's getting experience all the time, he's physically adapting to each step that he makes, and we'll continue his development.”

Carrick's reference to Gabriel "physically adapting" is one of the key elements as the player is still very young.

Gabriel dominated at Under-18 level last season before being given opportunities to step up during the summer.

He has since trained regularly with the first team, made his senior debut in pre-season and is now being tested against significantly older opposition in Premier League 2.

His performance against Ipswich showed he is continuing to make an impact at the higher level.

But Carrick's comments suggest United are determined not to rush the youngster despite the growing excitement around him.

The United boss was also impressed by the wider performance from Lawrence's team.

“Yeah, I thought the boys played ever so well, actually. Really good team, really strong team that we had, and you could see the quality," said Carrick.

“I really enjoyed the game. Really pleased with the boys, the way they went about it, the quality, the attitude. Everything about the game was really good, so really encouraged by that.”

Gabriel may have attracted many of the headlines after his goal and two assists, but Carrick made clear that he sees the teenager as part of the group rather than treating him differently.

The challenge for United now is deciding when Gabriel is ready for each next step. At just 15, he has already played for the Under-18s, Under-21s and first team during his rapid rise through the academy.