Manchester United academy chief Nick Cox says Dan Gore deserves his U21 Player of the Year award.

The winger was handed the gong last week.

Cox said: "To win this prestigious award at the age of 18 shows just how well Dan has performed and applied himself throughout the season.

"Dan is a worthy winner but it was, by no means, an easy decision for us, given how brilliantly our Under-21s have performed all season. We deliberately assembled a young group and they rose to the challenge of facing older players, throughout their games programme, in exactly the way we had hoped they would.

"Myself and all of the coaches are delighted with the individual development across this group and really proud of their collective achievements this season. Dan, himself, developed greatly this year, playing a key role for a variety of Academy sides in Premier League 2 as well as captaining the teams in the EFL Trophy and FA Youth Cup.

"He's a leader who has come through our system from a young age, always showcasing the desired qualities and characteristics that we look to instil in each of our young players. He truly deserves this award for his determination to succeed, his support for his fellow team-mates and his strong individual performances."