JJ Gabriel already has a significant amount of expectation resting on his shoulders even though he is only 15 years old. Fortunately for him, the Manchester United prodigy is part of a club that has nurtured numerous talented players in the past, helping them progress from academy hopefuls into genuine world-class performers.

Gabriel is currently among the brightest prospects at Carrington and he has impressed greatly for the Under-18s this season despite his young age. He has also been invited to train with the first team by Michael Carrick and his predecessor Ruben Amorim during this campaign.

However, the London-born attacker must remain patient before receiving his first opportunity under Carrick, as he cannot play Premier League or Premier League 2 matches until next season.

Although his ability is unquestionable, there are still certain aspects of Gabriel's game that need improvement, along with guidelines he must follow to secure a place in the senior squad - just as David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo did earlier in their careers.

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Here, Mirror Football has examined several lessons shared by former United legends that could help the highly-rated youngster fulfil his potential and build an outstanding career.

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Former United skipper Roy Keane once pointed out that a player, even one as talented as Gabriel, cannot be considered world class unless they consistently perform at an elite level over a long period of time. Keane won nearly every major honour during his tenure as captain and understands exactly what is required to reach that standard.

The pundit feels only a small number of his previous team-mates truly reached that level because many struggled to maintain consistency - an important lesson for Gabriel if he hopes to become world class himself.

The Irishman referenced his former team-mate Ryan Giggs as an example, saying: "If I look back now, you'd have to class Giggsy. I always class the world-class players as lads who were doing it for nine, 10, 11 [years] – obviously, Giggsy's done it for a lot longer. To me, that’s the key to being a really good player: you’ve got to be consistent."

Giggs has also spoken previously about what is required to succeed at United after coming through the academy, reflecting on his own experiences and mentality. The Welshman, who has won more Premier League titles than any other player, rose through the youth ranks alongside the famous Class of '92, a group that all became key figures in the first team.

The winger explained that the defining characteristic behind their success was an intense desire to win and continually improve. He remembered how he and his young team-mates were so competitive in training that they often pushed the boundaries of what might be considered acceptable.

"When I was growing up in the youth team literally I would do anything to win a five-a-side game, against my best friends in Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, we'd be kicking each other and if you lost it would be with you for the rest of the day and this is the day before the game, an eight-minute, nine-minute five-a-side game," Giggs told beIN SPORTS.

"Whereas in my experience now you see players coming off and they've just lost a small-sided game and they're laughing and joking and I'm like 'you've just lost a game'. Even if it doesn't mean anything, it's that winning mentality and doing anything you can to win.

"My youth team coach, Eric Harrison, I can't remember him giving free-kicks. He would just let you get on with it, you don't want injuries but he wanted that will to win and he wanted that feeling you'd take into the Saturday. Maybe that's taken away from the players a little bit now, but you have to find that winning mentality from within somehow. Sir Alex was the master of mind games and psychology."

Gary Neville has arguably been the most vocal when discussing what academy players must do to break into United's first team. The former right-back even produced a list of 14 important pieces of advice for young footballers to follow, which once hung on the wall in the academy dressing room.

Neville's list consisted of the following commandments:

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