TWO MAN UNITED STARLETS, TOTTENHAM'S SWEDISH WONDERKID TIPPED FOR GREATNESS AND BRENTFORD'S TURKISH TALENT: THE PREMIER LEAGUE YOUNGSTERS READY TO BURST ONTO THE CARABAO CUP STAGE

Premier League youngsters are hoping to star in this season's Carabao Cup
Man United, Tottenham, and Everton all have top rising talents raring to go
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The road to the first silverware of the season is up for grabs as the Carabao Cup welcomes the Premier League's big-hitters in the third-round of the competition, and plenty of youngsters are vying to make their presence known.

The League Cup is the perfect stage for managers to rest senior superstars and give youngsters a stage to show their talents, with plenty of upcoming talents ready to grab that chance by the scruff of the neck.

Manchester United host League One Barnsley on Tuesday evening, Spurs make the trip to Coventry and plenty other ties have academy stars believing this could be their moment.

United's academy is raring to go with two special talents hoping to impress, while Tottenham's Swedish wonderkid and Brentford's Turkish talisman all have a chance to express their skillset.

Mail Sport has rounded up a pick of the best Premier League youngsters that are set to star in the Carabao Cup.

Toby Collyer

Club: Man United Age: 20

The latest breakthrough star from Manchester United's academy made his Premier League debut in a miserable 3-0 defeat against rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford, but is already showing glimpses of star talent.

Toby Collyer has been generating a buzz within the walls of United's Carrington training base after joining from Brighton two-years ago, with Erik ten Hag keen on integrating him into his first-team midfield.

After being locked in on-pitch talks with the United boss following last season's FA Cup triumph, Collyer was picked for the club's pre-season tour of the United States and is already showing signs of promise.

The Worthington-born rising star best operates as a defensive midfielder and previously rejected approaches from both Chelsea and Tottenham to join United, with the decision reflecting in him breaking through into the club's senior team.

Expect Collyer to start against Barnsley on Tuesday and future Carabao Cup appearances if United advance.

Jake O'Brien

Club: Everton Age: 23

It was only two years ago that O'Brien was impressing on-loan at Swindon Town where he played a pivotal part in the club's run to the League Two playoffs before being recalled by Crystal Palace.

More loan moves subsequently followed before the 6ft4in centre-back decided to move abroad in search of more gametime with French side Lyon only to be snapped up by Everton in the summer.

The Toffees have endured a dismal start to the new Premier League season - currently bottom of the table with zero wins and a -9 goal difference - but their struggles and O'Brien's presence in Ireland's international set-up could hand him a chance to stake a starting claim.

His only start came in Everton's Carabao Cup second-round triumph over Doncaster and another strong showing against Southampton on Tuesday could force him into Sean Dyche's Premier League plans.

Harrison Armstrong

Club: Everton Age: 17

Another Everton youngster bidding to make a name for himself at Goodison Park is local youngster Harrison Armstrong who signed his first professional contract only two months ago and is now vying for more first-team opportunities.

Armstrong is trying to break into Everton's Premier League midfield and will do himself no harm with a strong outing against Southampton in front of growingly desperate supporters on Tuesday evening.

The creative talent impressed against Roma, Salford City, and Motherwell in pre-season, completing his rise from a five-year-old academy hopeful to the club's first-team.

Everton fans always get behind local talents and Armstrong is now hoping to follow in the footsteps of Ross Barkley and Wayne Rooney, with the Carabao Cup a perfect setting to showcase his skill.

Ethan Wheatley

Club: Man United Age: 18

After being promoted to Man United's senior squad at the end of last season, Ethan Wheatley now has a chance to use the Carabao Cup as a stage to show Ten Hag he can be trusted as a first-team regular.

The young striker bagged 20 goals in the club's youth ranks and showed glimpses of potential in cameo Premier League appearances last season when United were fighting an injury crisis.

New signing Joshua Zirkzee has been the stand-in replacement for injured striker Rasmus Hojlund, but Wheatley can challenge that narrative by scoring against Barnsley in the third-round cup clash.

United rejected summer loan proposals for the 18-year-old who is United's 250th academy graduate and can either lead the line or play in a support role behind a striker.

Archie Gray

Club: Tottenham Age: 18

Leeds supporters were besides themselves when Archie Gray joined Tottenham in the summer as the Championship club cashed-in on on the midfield wonderkid in exchange for £30m.

The 18-year-old was set for a medical at Brentford before Spurs came calling and a previous midfield masterclass during a fifth-round FA Cup clash against Chelsea made Premier League teams take notice.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou handed Gray - who is a star in England's youth set-up - his first English top-flight minutes in a draw against Leicester and follow-up victory over Everton, but failed to get off the bench in subsequent defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal.

The talented creative midfielder occupies a similar role to James Maddison and the Englishman's recent struggles could be made worse if Gray stars on an expected start against Coventry on Wednesday.

Franco Umeh-Chibueze

Club: Crystal Palace Age: 19

Crystal Palace have a knack of turning potential into prowess as the club have done with Eberechi Eze and former star Michael Olise in recent seasons, now Franco Umeh-Chibueze is bidding to be the next star off the club's production line.

The 19-year-old has endured an unconventional path to England's top-flight, initially breaking through at amateur Irish side Ringmahon Rangers before moving to Cork City where he was spotted by Palace scouts.

11 goals in 24 youth appearances soon followed last season with the pacey winger working hard to force himself into the senior set-up where he has since made the bench for Palace's last two Premier League fixtures.

Umeh-Chibueze could make his Palace debut QPR on Tuesday evening and hopes are high that he can deliver on his potential at a time when manager Oliver Glasner is crying out for attacking creativity.

Yunus Emre Konak

Club: Brentford Age: 18

Expectations were high when Brentford forked out £3million on the relatively unknown Turkish talent in January, only for an injury that required surgery to delay his start to life in Thomas Frank's side.

Knee ligament surgery forced him to spend six months on the sidelines, with the 18-year-old marking his only Bees appearance with a one minute outing in the club's second-round Carabao Cup win over Colchester United.

Konak has been named on the bench for Brentford's recent Premier League clashes against Southampton and Man City, with the third-round fixture against Leyton Orient a promising opportunity for the defensive midfielder to make his first start.

Brentford believe Konak can be a Premier League star after handing him a contract until 2029 with the option of a further year and the Carabao Cup could be the perfect stage to start repaying the investment shown in him.

Lucas Bergvall

Club: Tottenham Age: 18

There's not many better ways to mark your 18th birthday than with an £8.5m move to the Premier League and that's exactly what happened to Lucas Bergvall after he made the switch to Tottenham in the summer.

Bergvall had looked set to sign for Barcelona, though Ange Postecoglou's side hijacked the deal, and successfully convinced him to join the Premier League, but was allowed to spend the remainder of last season at Swedish side Djurgardens.

The attacking midfield prodigy caught the interest of several clubs around Europe, including Man United, who he had trials with when he was 14, but opted to join Spurs and could make his first start for the club in the Carabao Cup.

Recent Premier League outings from the bench gave Spurs fans a first glimpse of the Swedish wonderkid who has already made his senior international debut and cup outing against Coventry could be the perfect stage to show he can cope with the demands of English football.

2024-09-17T16:08:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd