Manchester United’s Under-21 manager Warren Joyce believes that midfielder Nick Powell is making good progress in his recovery from injury and looking better than ever.
Powell’s hasn’t had the best of times at Old Trafford so far, with the 21-year old being loaned to Wigan Athletic and Leicester City on two separate occasions, before suffering a serious hamstring injury during a Under-21 match against Everton in February.
There were even rumours that the youngster was considering retirement after becoming disillusioned with the game, but those fears have been allayed by Joyce, who says that the midfielder could return for the Under-21’s next fixture against Norwich City on November 23.
Speaking to the official club website, Joyce said:
Nick’s worked extremely hard. It’s been a testing time, as you expect when you’re injured and obviously out for this amount of time with an injury. But his attitude has been outstanding in the gym and out on the training field.
I think, to be fair, he is looking in the best condition he has ever been in his life. Hopefully, he kicks on with that now when the games start coming. There is no doubt how much talent he has got. Some of the stuff you see from him is outstanding. He’s a high top-level talent so hopefully he can get a run of matches.
When he came back here from his loan spells away, I thought he was flying before he got injured. People forget how young he is. He is still a young player with a very bright career in front of him. Like everything, he needs a little bit of luck and has got to be in the right place at the right time to grab an opportunity and make the most of it.
He’s certainly put in the hours in the gym and on the training pitch and, like I’ve said, is probably in the best condition physically he has ever been in his life. There are a lot of good people in the medical department and the sports science lads are really conscientious and very good at their jobs. It’s not easy to be out for such a long while but he has got to keep going like he has been doing. You have ups and downs but that’s normal. Everybody wants to play but the staff are so good at their jobs they keep the players going, keep them motivated, keep them at it and keep them running. So far, so good and I hope he gets over the final hurdle now.
Joyce also believes that Powell has outgrown reserves football, and should be pushing for another loan spell away from Old Trafford to prove his credentials once he gets back to full fitness:
He’s training with us now and I would have thought he’ll play at Norwich if everything goes to plan because he’s back in contention. He can handle one versus one situations, he’s got a trick or two and a good range of passing, long and short. He’s got goals in him and has a good shot, he can do short finishes and is useful with his head. He’s a pretty complete footballer.
Maybe he just needs to apply all the things he’s got so he has a major influence on a game. That has got to be the demand on him but, like I say, he’s in a good place at the minute. He looks lean, fit and strong. The hours he’s put in at the gym with the physios and sports-science lads has really helped him.
We’re hoping he will be able to push himself forward – either in the first team or out in the league again. He’s had that already and is really too good for Reserves football. He has proved he can play in the Championship but, if he’s got ambition, which I’m sure he has, then he’d want to prove to himself he can play in the Premier League.
“That has got to be his aim. He’s gone step-by-step to get to this stage now and that had to be the carrot dangled in front of him, the prospect of top-flight football in the future, so I am sure all those hours in the gym will be worthwhile.
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