Allen Hamilton
It is a simple task to identify the low points of David Moyes' first season as Manchester United boss – a dismal defeat at Anfield, the 5-1 thumping in the Manchester derby, the embarrassing home losses to West Brom and former club Everton, in which the away fans sang 'You're getting sacked in the morning'. His fruitless summer in the transfer market also deserves a mention.
It is harder to pinpoint the bright spots, but Adnan Januzaj's emergence is certainly high on the list. In a squad packed with veterans, it was Januzaj who answered the call during Manchester United's darkest hour at the Stadium of Light back in October, scoring twice to spare Moyes' blushes. The youngster is already being hailed as the solution to Manchester United's midfield creativity problems, and Januzaj's rise has been so meteoric that he was a shock inclusion as a nominee for Young Sports Personality of the Year.
The inconsistency of Nani, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia has been alarming again this season, prompting Moyes to turn to Januzaj, who can play on the flanks but is more at home in the No.10 role. He has not regretted it, in the same way that Sir Alex Ferguson never regretted throwing a young Ryan Giggs into the fray. "Football is not about age," Januzaj said recently. "If you are good enough to play, you have to play."
With the English champions under scrutiny following successive home league defeats (for the first time since 2002), Moyes is already walking a fine line. To his credit, he has continued to put his faith in Januzaj and has jumped to the youngster's defence at every opportunity.
"Adnan is going to need a little bit more protection or we are going to find he is getting kicked up and down", Moyes said after an incident against Fulham earlier in the season. "I do think he deserves a little bit more than he is getting at this time."
And the teenager has clearly appreciated his manager's support, signing a contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2018. "I think the boss gave me the chance because he's known for giving a chance to young players", Januzaj explained. "He's a top manager and knows exactly what he is doing with the players and everything else."
However, Manchester United fans do not need to look far for a cautionary tale. After a dramatic and spectacular late winner against Aston Villa on his debut in early April 2009, Federico Macheda was the toast of Old Trafford. A 17-year-old man-child with no shortage of confidence, Macheda looked like the find of the season and an intriguing strike partner for Wayne Rooney. Fast-forwarding to the present, Macheda is on loan at Doncaster Rovers and his opportunity to make the breakthrough in Manchester may have passed him by.
But all the signs point to Januzaj being the real deal – and it is surely only a matter of time before England come calling, with manager Roy Hodgson already admitting that the teenager is on the national team radar. Given that Januzaj was born in Belgium and is of Kosovan descent, Hodgson may have a fight on his hands to bring the Manchester United starlet into the fold. Januzaj could eventually become eligible for England through residency, but the likes of Belgium, Turkey and Albania are free to pursue him in the meantime.
A bright international career surely awaits Januzaj, whichever nation he ultimately selects, but the short-term focus is at club level. Manchester United have major work to do just to climb back into the top four, with Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool all looking impressive. The campaign is yet to reach the half-way stage, but the alarm bells are understandably ringing at Old Trafford as Moyes tries to steady the ship. Sunday's solid victory at Villa Park was certainly a step in the right direction – and again Januzaj played a key role.
The champions' title defence has been a disaster thus far but, however this season turns out, the emergence of Januzaj has provided fresh hope for the future.
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