41. Federico Macheda

Federico Macheda became an instant Old Trafford hero when he scored a stunning injury-time winner on his debut against Aston Villa in April 2009.

Aged just 17, the young Italian told MUTV it was "the best day of my life".

But while that goal heralded Macheda's arrival on the biggest stage, his prowess in front of goal has been apparent ever since he arrived at United in September 2007. Indeed, just six days before his Villa winner, the boy they call "Kiko" netted a hat-trick for the Reserves in a thrilling 3-3 draw at St James' Park.

Formerly a member of Lazio's

youth system, Macheda signed professional forms on 22 August 2008. A powerful forward with a natural eye for goal, he was born in Rome and is regarded in Italy as one of the most promising prospects of his generation.

Having relocated to England to further his career, Macheda has quickly moved up the ranks at United. He started out in Paul McGuinness' Under-18s side, but has become a regular in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Reserves.

He began the 2008/09 campaign with a fine goalscoring run in the youth team and quickly translated that to Reserve team football.

His strength on the ball, positional sense in the box and clinical finishing haven't gone unnoticed at the very top: Sir Alex Ferguson handed him a Champions League squad number midway through the 2008/09 campaign and then showed stunning judgement to introduce him against Aston Villa just when the Reds needed a goal most.

Just six days later, the Italian's stock grew further as he reprised his match-winner status when it mattered most. Within a minute of entering the fray against Sunderland, with United chasing a winner, Macheda diverted home a crucial winner to further aid the Reds' defence of the Premier League title.

40. Ben Amos

Ben Amos is a talented young goalkeeper who has been capped by England at youth level.

The tall, Macclesfield-born custodian has worked his way through the Old Trafford ranks since the age of 11, and joined the club's Academy in July 2006. He quickly established himself in Paul McGuinness' Under-18s side in the 2006/07 campaign, and made his Reserves debut in November 2007.

Ben's stature within the United ranks was underlined when he made two impressive appearances in the first team's 2008/09 pre-season campaign, and a full debut wasn't long in coming.

Amos turned in a commanding display as United overcame Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup in September 2008. Having convinced United's coaching staff that he has the skill and temperament for first team football, Ben was picked as a late replacement for the injured Ben Foster to travel as part of the successful Club World Cup campaign.

A keen learner, Ben has his sights set on regular first team involvement. "Hopefully I’ll fight it out for a first-team place," he says. "That’s my aim, to play for the club. I wouldn’t be here otherwise."

39. James Chester

James Chester is an agile, tough-tackling central defender from Warrington.

He was first spotted by United scouts playing for his local team, Winwick Athletic. James began playing for the team when he was five, when he played with boys four years older in the Under9s.

By the age of eight, United had taken an interest and invited him down for training sessions at the club. Since then he has risen through the ranks at Old Trafford and graduated from the Academy in 2007.

Chester became an integral part of the Reserves' defence in the latter half of the 2006/07 season

and throughout the following campaign.

James was the Reserves' top appearance maker during the 2007/08 campaign, playing a key role as the Reds ended the season with success in the Manchester Senior Cup final.

Chester took over the captain's armband for the Reserves at the start of the 2008/09 campaign and his consistent displays, combined with injuries to first team regulars, resulted in a call-up to the senior squad for United's League Cup semi-final, second leg with Derby County in January 2009.

With 23 minutes remaining in the clash at Old Trafford and United three goals to the good, Chester entered the fray as a substitute for Gary Neville. Like so many fledglings in the past, the Reserves' skipper didn't look fazed by any means.

Just two weeks later, Chester joined Sir Alex's son Darren for a month-long loan spell with Ferguson Junior's Peterborough side and played a part in three wins out of five.

He is now back at Old Trafford continuing to work towards his ultmate aim of becoming a first team regular.

38. Ron-Robert Zieler

Ron-Robert Zieler began his career with home-town club FC Cologne before joining United in the summer of 2005.

Good in one-on-one situations and an excellent shot-stopper, Zieler began life with United's U18s, playing 18 league games and four FA Youth Cup ties in his first season. His performances soon backed up his potential, earning a reserves call-up. He was an unused substitute in 11 second-string matches that year, including the 2006 final of the Manchester Senior Cup.

The following season Zieler shared U18 duties with Ben Amos, but also made his reserves debut in a 3-0 defeat to Sheffield

United. Four days later he kept a clean sheet in the Manchester Senior Cup against Oldham. In 2007/08 he and Tom Heaton vied for the reserves' no.1 spot.

That summer Ron-Robert started every game in Germany's triumph at the UEFA U19 Championships, playing a key role and continuing his rise through the international ranks.

At the start of the 2008/09 campaign, Zieler was given the no.38 shirt, and was named on the bench in the League Cup against Middlesbrough in September 2008. A loan spell at Northampton Town followed, where he made two appearances before returning to the Reds in February 2009.

37. Craig Cathcart

Tall, good in the air and strong in the tackle, Craig Cathcart is a prototypical centre-half, but he also possesses the ability and confidence to bring the ball out of defence.

The Belfast-born defender, capped by Northern Ireland at youth level, was coveted by a number of clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal and Rangers. He spent time at United’s School of Excellence in Belfast before rejecting all other approaches in favour of joining his boyhood club.

Cathcart was joint highest appearance-maker for the Academy Under-18s in 2005/06, before being named captain of Paul

McGuinness' side the following season.

He also managed to shoehorn in several reserve-team appearances, heading his first second-string goal in a 2-1 win at Everton, and when an injury crisis hit the first team's defence, Sir Alex Ferguson had no qualms about briefly promoting him to the senior squad.

Cathcart was an unused substitute in four senior games during the 2006/07 season, but injury prevented him from taking any part in the campaign's final games and also ruled him out of United's FA Youth Cup final against Liverpool.

Craig was loaned to Royal Antwerp at the beginning of the 2007/08 season, where he scored in his second appearance for the club. He played 13 times for the Belgians before returning to England and making seven appearances for United's reserves.

Pre-season 2008 saw the defender join the Reds in South Africa for the final Vodacom Challenge match. On his return to England, he embarked on another loan spell, this time with Plymouth Argyle for the full 2008/09 season.

Cathcart gained some valuable experience as a regular starter for Paul Sturrock's side, not only in the fiercely competitive Championship division but

also on Premier League turf - the Pilgrims visited (and lose to) Arsenal in the FA Cup third round. He scored his first Football League goal for Plymouth in a 3-1 defeat at Ipswich Town on 25 October 2008.

36. David Gray

David Gray has the advantageous ability of being able to play in almost any position.

Nicknamed ‘greyhound’ because of his name and his pace, David grew up near Darren Fletcher just outside Edinburgh. He arrived at United as a winger but has since played anywhere from striker to centre-half, right-back to right wing.

The Scot has progressed to Reserve team level, but he was one of the highest appearance-makers for the U-18s in 2005/06 with 19 starts and one goal.

Gray signed professional forms with the Reds on 10 August 2005 and flourished in the Reserves during the

first half of the 2006/07 season. He was supposed to spend the latter half of the season at Royal Antwerp, only to see those hopes dashed by a serious knee injury. An early return to Carrington beckoned.

In November 2007, Gray joined League One outfit Crewe Alexandra on an emergency loan, and made a solitary appearance before returning to United for the remainder of the 2007/08 campaign.

A regular for the Reserves, David has primarily been used as a full-back in recent seasons, but his natural attacking instincts shine through in his regular bombarding runs down either wing.

On New Year's Day 2009 Gray joined Plymouth Argyle on loan. His first outing as a Pilgrim was to the Emirates Stadium as his new side faced Arsenal in the FA Cup. Plymouth lost 3-1 and Gray was unfortunate to score an own goal.

Nevertheless, the youngster was determined to make the most of his time at Home Park.

"It's all about games and getting as much experience as I can at this age. And the only way I'm going to progress is by playing first-team football."

35. Tom Cleverley

Tom Cleverley is a versatile midfielder who has progressed through the ranks at Old Trafford.

The teenager can play in defence as well as across the middle and proved a real asset to the Reserves during the 2007/08 season after graduating from the Under-18s.

The Basingstoke-born midfielder was a regular for the Reds' second-string last term, and his impressive displays earned him plaudits from coaches Brian McClair and Jim Ryan. Although not a regular goalscorer, Tom did bag a fine brace in the Reserves' victory at Bolton in January 2008. His professionalism and a string of fine

displays saw him temporarily named Reserves captain in the absence of injured skipper Sam Hewson.

In recognition of his achievements, Cleverley was one of three players nominated for the prestigious Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award, alongside fellow midfielder Hewson and defender Richard Eckersley.

Following a late call-up to join the squad in South Africa during the 2008 pre-season campaign, Cleverley marked his non-competitive debut with a goal as United claimed victory in the Vodacom Challenge final. Just a few weeks later, he was handed the No.35 shirt in the senior squad.

The midfielder was named on the bench for United's League Cup matches against Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers at the start of the 2008/09 season, before joining League One outfit Leicester City on loan in January 2009 until the end of the season.

Cleverley made his debut for the Foxes at Yeovil the same month, and scored his first goal for them in a 4-1 win at Walsall in February.

But his spell at the Walkers Stadium was cut short in March, when he dislocated a shoulder against Colchester and was forced to return to United.

34. Rodrigo Possebon

Elegant and composed in possession but full of energy, Rodrigo Possebon is an archetypal box-to-box midfielder.

He joined United in January 2008 from Brazil's Sporting Club Internacional and was immediately handed a senior squad number (34, although he was later registered as 35 for the 2008/09 season).

Possebon's path to Old Trafford was greatly facilitated by his father's Italian heritage, giving the youngster an Italian passport and negating the need for a work permit.

A fluent English-speaker, he quickly assimilated to life in England and made his debut for

the Reserves in a 2-0 Manchester Senior Cup win over Manchester City in February 2008.

The youngster's neat performance carried some promise, leading Academy Manager Brian McClair to admit: "It looks as if he's got quite a bit of talent."

Possebon excelled on his non-competitve debut for the first team in July 2008, helping United to victory over the Kaizer Chiefs in the Vodacom Challenge final in South Africa following a late call-up to the squad. "Rodrigo used the ball well and I think the lad has got a chance," commented Sir Alex afterwards.

The Brazilian, who collected a Community Shield winners' medal as a unused substitute in the win over Portsmouth, didn't have to wait long for his senior debut, coming on as a sub for Ryan Giggs in United's first fixture of 2008/09, the 1-1 draw against Newcastle United. Again he looked calm and confident on the ball, rarely giving away possession and never shirking challenges in the centre of the park.

Possebon featured in all of Sir Alex's squads during the 2008/09 League Cup campaign (starting in the wins over Middlesbrough, QPR and Blackburn) and picked up his second winners' medal with the first team

following the penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham in the final at Wembley.

33. Sam Hewson

Bolton-born Sam Hewson is a creative central midfielder, a strong passer who also likes to score goals. Combining an ability to break up opposition play and a talent to push forward and create chances, or indeed score them himself, Hewson is an accomplished player in the middle of the park.

Sam made 24 appearances for the Academy Under-18s in 2005/06, scoring six goals, and his impressive performances for Paul McGuinness’ side soon earned him regular call-ups to United’s Reserves.

Hewson first started playing football at the age of six, “kicking a tennis ball around in the school playground”. He

was spotted two years later playing for his local team, AFC Bolton. After impressing in only his second match for the team, he was offered a trial at United and began training regularly with the Reds a year later, aged nine.

During his third season as an Academy scholar, in the 2007/08 campaign, Sam made sufficient impact in United's Reserves to be shortlisted for the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year. He was handed a Premier League squad number (no.33) at the beginning of the 2008/09 campaign and was later loaned out to League One outfit Hereford United to gain first-team experience.

32. Carlos Tevez

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez is one of the game's most lethal finishers, but also has an unwavering work ethic to accompany his natural talents. Little wonder, then, that he quickly became established as a fans' favourite at Old Trafford after arriving in August 2007.

After completing his protracted move from West Ham, Tevez enjoyed a superb first season for United. He developed a thrilling partnership with Wayne Rooney and hit 19 goals, some of them last-gasp and most of them vital to the Reds' Premier League and Champions League Double. Tevez is idolised in South America after successful spells at Boca Juniors and Brazilian side Corinthians. Initially he had to win over fans in Brazil, but eventually he captained Corinthians to the title and became the first foreign player to collect the league's Player of the Year award in almost 20 years.

He then spent the 2006/07 season with West Ham. After a slow start, Tevez embarked on a goalscoring spree that saw him net seven times in just 10 matches as West Ham battled to avoid relegation. That run culminated in the memorable and typically tenacious winner against United at Old Trafford on the final day of the season, which ensured the visitors' top-flight survival.

On the international stage, he propelled Argentina to gold in the 2004 Olympic Games by netting an incredible eight times, featured at the 2006 World Cup and is now a regular member of the senior squad.

Although the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov increased competition for starting berths upfront, Tevez continued to be an influential figure in his second season at Old Trafford.

He notched his first United hat-trick with a four-goal haul against Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-final of the Reds' triumphant League Cup campaign, and added the

Club World Cup to his impressive trophy haul - which already included the Champions League and its South American equivalent, the Copa Libertadores.