Max Taylor: Man Utd defender gets first senior call-up following chemotherapy

Manchester United defender Max Taylor has received his first senior call-up, 12 months after having chemotherapy treatment for testicular cancer.

The 19-year-old has been named in a youthful squad for United's Europa League group game against Astana in Kazakhstan on Thursday.

Taylor only returned to training in September after getting the all-clear from medical staff.

United have already qualified for the knockout phase.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has included 14 teenagers in his 18-man squad after choosing to leave most of his senior players at home.

With an average age of 20, 10 of those players travelling to Kazakhstan are yet to feature in a first-team game.

First-team coaches Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna have also been excused from the six-hour flight and will work with Solskjaer's squad before Sunday's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Nicky Butt, United's head of first-team development, will join Solskjaer on the trip to Astana.

Squad and ages:

Goalkeepers: Lee Grant (36), Matej Kovar (19).

Defenders: Max Taylor (19), Luke Shaw (24), Axel Tuanzebe (22), Teden Mengi (17), Di'Shon Bernard (19), Ethan Laird (18).

Midfielder: Dylan Levitt (19), Ethan Galbraith (18), Arnau Puigmal (18), James Garner (18), Jesse Lingard (26), Tahith Chong (19), Angel Gomes (19).

Forwards: Largie Ramazani (19), D'Mani Bughail-Mellor (19), Mason Greenwood (18).