Manchester United youngster Dan Gore has responded to Erik ten Hag's warning this week

Manchester United youngster Dan Gore has almost certainly just enjoyed the most memorable seven days of his life so far.

Gore was given his senior debut against Crystal Palace in the League Cup on his 19th birthday and Erik ten Hag, when asked about the midfielder's first-team appearance after the game, agreed that it was a special day for him.

Ten Hag also warned that youngsters had to earn opportunities, insisting they wouldn't be handed out, which suggested Gore's tremendous progress in the academy over the last 18 months had been recognised.

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“It tops the list of birthdays, it was truly a special moment,” Gore told MUTV with a huge grin after his debut. “I don’t think words can describe that feeling, seeing the fans, it is everything you’ve dreamed of, coming true.

"It means everything, growing up as a United fan [along with] my whole family, it means a lot to them and they were all here supporting me.” I think being around world-class players, day in and day out, has really helped me improve my game a lot.

“You grow up watching these players, so to play with them, you watch them on TV, it is actually surreal.”

Gore was part of the 2021/22 FA Youth Cup winning team and his partnership with Kobbie Mainoo was crucial to that success. Alejandro Garnacho was the poster boy of the Class of '22 but that midfield pair were excellent.

Four of the starting players from that Youth Cup final have now made their first-team debuts - Charlie McNeill was also given his - and that's something that head of academy Nick Cox and the academy coaching staff can be proud of.

Gore was perhaps overshadowed by Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho during that