Pellistri: United is Like Harvard

Facundo Pellistri believes he learned a lot from last season because training with Manchester United is akin to being educated at Harvard.

The Uruguay international referred to the illustrious American university in Massachusetts when describing the benefits of staying with the Reds last term, after a couple of loan spells with Alaves in La Liga.

Pellistri has since enjoyed a good pre-season, scoring a late equaliser in the friendly draw with Athletic Club in Dublin, and has been introduced off the bench in both of our Premier League matches so far in this new campaign.

While there is intense competition for places, Pellistri strongly believes this a positive for him as he continues to learn his trade, and ensure he is capable of making a real impact in England’s top division.

“Being here, all the players are top players,” the 21-year-old winger told club media this week at Carrington. “So when you train here, you learn lot. Every session is like being at Harvard because you have the best of the best. So, in training, you improve a lot.

“Last year, I stayed all the season and I improved a lot in all aspects. And, of course, to be here and to live the way United is, you also gain a lot of experience.”

Pellistri is one of a number of wide players competing for a place in Erik ten Hag’s starting XI and he echoes the manager’s belief that football in 2023 is very much a squad game, with everybody pulling in the same direction.

“We have very good players and the competition is there but we have good competition,” he told us. “We support each other. The one [who] is best in the moment will play because the important thing for all of us, for the group, is to achieve trophies.

“And the manager always says also that the important thing is the squad. Last year, the squad took an important role. So that’s the way we see things – everyone can play. And you have to be all together to achieve great things.”

The youngster will hope to get more minutes when we take on Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s game at Old Trafford, our third match of the new season.