A to Z Goal of the Day Series H is for Harrop

FINEST MOMENT

With the Europa League final in Stockholm looming and United’s final position in the table cemented, Jose Mourinho opted to select one of the youngest Reds sides in Premier League history for the visit of Sam Allardyce’s Palace.

The average age of our starting XI that day was just 22 years and 284 days and Joel Castro Pereira, Demetri Mitchell and Harrop were all making their first-team debuts.

“He [Mourinho] asked me if I was ready and wanted to play,” Harrop said to PremierLeague.com. “I didn’t know if he was being serious so I just tried to be enthusiastic and said, ‘I’m ready, I want my chance.’

”He said, ‘Well you’re going to get it, I’m going to play you.’ I kept it on the quiet until the day. I only told my mum, dad and sister.“

With just a quarter of an hour played, Harrop was played in down the left-hand side by Paul Pogba. Despite being surrounded by Palace players, the 21-year-old cut inside on his right and superbly found the bottom corner. 

Josh’s strike made him the 100th different player to score for the Reds in the Premier League era.