Luke Shaw made his first appearance for United aged 19

While Manchester United give youth a chance, the average age at which current players joined the first team squad at Manchester City is a Premier League-high 26.64. 

In contrast, United’s current squad came into the first-team fold – either through their academy or as transfer signings – at an average age of 22.90. 

That is the youngest average age of any team in the Premier League.  Liverpool (23.07) and Arsenal (23.12) have the next lowest average ages at which players join-up with the first-team. 

This season United have given league debuts to Luke Shaw (aged 19), Paddy McNair (19 on debut) and Tyler Blackett (20 on debut), while Frank Lampard (36) and Willy Caballero (32 on debut) have made their first appearances for the City in this campaign. 

The findings are from a new study conducted by CIES Football Observatory, which noted that Champions League semi-finalists Real Madrid (22.44) and Barcelona (22.66) have profited from fielding younger players. 

However, it is David Moyes’ Real Sociedad (21.75) who integrate players into the first-team squad at the youngest age across Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A). 

Only the current squads at Atalanta (27.4) and Eibar (26.85) were older, on average, when they first appeared for their clubs than the players at Manchester City. 

Frank Lampard made his first-team debut at Man City aged 36

Average age players included in first-team squad

Premier League

1.  Man Utd – 22.90

2.  Liverpool – 23.07

3.  Arsenal – 23.12

4.  Newcastle – 23.33

5.  Southampton – 23.48

6.  Chelsea - 23.98

7.  Everton - 24.12

7= Aston Villa – 24.12

9.  Tottenham – 24.32

10.  Swansea – 24.33

11.  West Ham – 25.25

12.  Stoke City – 25.27

13.  Burnley – 25.37

14.  West Brom – 25.66

15.  Sunderland – 25.74

16.  QPR – 26.08

17.  Hull City – 26.25

18.  Crystal Palace – 26.30

18= Leicester – 26.30

20.  Man City – 26.64

Across Europe

1.  Real Sociedad – 21.75

2.  Nice – 21.92

3.  Marseille – 22.06

4.  Lyon – 22.09

5.  Toulouse – 22.29

6.  Werder Bremen – 22.37

7.  Real Madrid – 22.44

8.  Schalke – 22.58

9.  Barcelona – 22.66

9= Dortmund – 22.66