Sam Johnstone brings a master class to Walsall

Now the club's latest goalkeeper is hoping a Dutch masterclass can help take the Saddlers into the play-offs.

The United youngster, 19, will make his debut tomorrow at Hartlepool, still two days short of his 20th birthday.

But the giant teenager has already progressed into the Red Devils' first-team squad and worked alongside a man he looked up to as a child.

Now Johnstone is ready to take the tips from Edwin van der Sar into the Saddlers' League One promotion surge.

He said: "Edwin was someone I watched a lot as a lad. Everybody talks about Peter Schmeichel but he was a bit before my time, although I have seen videos.

"Edwin was the one for me, especially when he came to United. As I got older, I was lucky enough to work with him and he gave me great advice.

"He didn't need coaching but he went out of his way to help us. He was a father figure. He helped me with everything.

"You could go to Edwin with anything and he would be happy to help. It was great having him around."

Johnstone still finds himself in the thick of first-team training at United, working each day alongside David De Gea and Anders Lindergaard under the guidance of goalkeeping coach Eric Steele.

But he was delighted to swap the trappings of the Premier League's most successful club for the muck and nettles of League One after receiving a weekend SOS from Saddlers manager Dean Smith.

Preston-born Johnstone said: "I've been at United since I was nine-and-a-half. I came up through the ranks over the years and I'm 20 on Monday, so it's been 10 years, but it's gone quickly.

"It's one of the best clubs in the world to learn your trade and I have enjoyed it. I'm playing in the Under-21s and I've been involved in a few big first-team games.

"I was on the bench for the Manchester derby and also in a few big Champions League games.

"I work every day with De Gea, Lindergaard and Ben Amos. I am working with some of the best goalkeepers in the world.

"It's great experience and we are all young goalkeepers. That's all great, but I need the experience of League games so I'm grateful for this chance.

"It all happened over the weekend. Walsall had Aaron McCarey, who had to go back to Wolves, so there was a space that had to be filled.

"I'm just glad Walsall came in for me and I'm excited to come and play here. I was at Scunthorpe for five months last season and that was a great experience that helped me to grow up.

"It's proper football in a proper league – with crowds, where you're playing for points. It's the best thing for me. I wanted it and United wanted it.

"I couldn't go out at the start of the season because Ben was at Hull but, once he came back to United, I wanted to take my chance to go out and learn, and to pick up experience, which you need as a goalkeeper."

And, with United racing towards another Premier League title, Johnstone is hoping to carry the winning feeling from Old Trafford into a Saddlers side steaming up on the rails of the League One play-off race.

He said: "Hopefully I'm coming in here to help them get into the play-offs. I'm used to winning games at United so I want more of the same."