Young 'owes' Black Cats boss

Ashley Young has admitted he owes Martin O’Neill a debt of gratitude.

It was O’Neill who catapulted Young into the big time when he was Aston Villa.

The Irishman shelled out upwards of £8million to take Young up the M6 from Watford and they proved a potent partnership, with the winger breaking into the England squad and being named in the Premier League team of the year for the 2007-08 season.

Both have now moved on, Young to Manchester United, O’Neill to Sunderland.

And when their respective teams meet at the Stadium of Light tomorrow lunchtime, both have an urgent need for victory.

For whilst United need three points to move them another step closer than record 20th title, Sunderland must win to halt an alarming slide that has seen them drop perilously close to the relegation zone.

Yet despite being on opposite sides of the fence, Young will still have a warm word or two for O’Neill.

“I have a lot to thank Martin for and we still talk now and then,” said Young.

“I enjoyed my time working under him because he was a great manager.

“He helped me in my career when I went to Aston Villa because thanks to him, I got into the England squad.”

Although it would appear impossible for United to fail as they did in such dramatic fashion at the end of last term, Ferguson wants the Premier League title sewn up quickly.

The added complication of Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea means Ferguson will pay careful attention to the demands placed on each individual member of his squad before selecting his team at the Stadium of Light.

Javier Hernandez and Antonio Valencia appear the least likely to be involved given they travelled the furthest and, due to time differences, played the latest this week.

Young was a goalscorer in San Marino last Friday but was limited to just 12 minutes in Montenegro on Tuesday as England attempted to stem the flow of home attacks.

Now he is back on club business. And having joined United to win some silverware, only to finish his debut campaign empty-handed, the 27-year-old now wants to get his hands on some.

“We have not got to the end of the season yet so it is definitely not over,” he said.

“But hopefully come the end of the season I will be wearing one of those medals around my neck.”