MANCHESTER, England ● Wilfried Zaha’s troubled first season at Manchester United reached a new low on Monday night when he was only a substitute for the Under-21 team.
The England international, a £15 million summer signing from Crystal Palace, came on for the last 35 minutes of a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough.
Will Keane, Federico Macheda and Jesse Lingard were included in the starting 11 for Warren Joyce’s side at Zaha’s expense.
When introduced, the 21-year-old came close to a goal but was denied by Middlesbrough keeper Connor Ripley.
Zaha, whose signing was arranged by Sir Alex Ferguson before he retired, has only made four first-team appearances for United and has started just once since August’s Community Shield.
He is yet to begin a game in the Premier League, has only been brought off the bench twice and did not figure in the squad at all for Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Manager David Moyes has denied he has fallen out with Zaha and has suggested the winger will be allowed to leave Old Trafford.
“I have told him that if I can’t get him the games I will put him out on loan,” he told national newspaper reporters.
Moyes had been reluctant to let Zaha leave while both Nani and Ashley Young were sidelined but the former Aston Villa player returned to the United team against Chelsea.