Watch Manchester United youngsters showing the way to their seniors
In many ways, the Red Devils' 3-2 triumph over Arsenal was a case of United remaining true to their roots.
Old-timers must have watched Manchester United's 3-2 win over Arsenal on Sunday with a satisfying sense of nostalgia.
A win over an old rival is always special, but what was particularly satisfying was seeing United play so well with a team that many had written off previously. Hamstrung by injuries, manager Louis van Gaal was forced to field a team of youngsters against Arsenal's established international stars.
But, backed by a brace from teenage sensation Marcus Rashford, the Red Devils played gorgeous attacking football to put Arsenal's title challenge in jeopardy.
In many ways, Rashford and Co. were carrying forward a proud Old Trafford legacy. Manchester United have always been traditionally known for the talent they possess in their youth teams.
It was back in 1945 that Scottish football legend Matt Busby became the manager of Manchester United. Over the years, he developed a gifted, young team, the "Busby Babes". With an average age of 21 and 22 respectively, the "Busby Babes" won the English league championships in 1956 and 1957.
Unfortunately, tragedy followed soon after: eight of that team were killed in 1958 when the plane that was carrying them crashed in an attempt to take off from Munich.
History though would be repeated, more than 40 years later, under the tutelage of another Scottish manager, the great Sir Alex Ferguson. In the first game of the 1995-96 season, Ferguson put out a young team, which lost 3-1 to Aston Villa in their opening game. It memorably led to the BBC Match of the Day football pundit saying, "You can't win anything with kids."
But the expert was forced to eat his words. Ferguson's "Class of '92", comprising a young David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, and Phil Neville became world-beaters. They shook off the loss to Aston Villa in the opening game to overturn Newcastle United's 10-point lead that season and win the title. And, along with it, the FA Cup, for a notable double.
A period of sustained success followed, with the most outstanding triumph coming in 1999, when the Red Devils won the historic treble: the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.