Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Nick Powell were thrown on to save Manchester United in Champions League but who are the rookies trusted by Louis van Gaal?

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There wasn't going to be many positives coming from a night where Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League - but there were green shoots for Louis van Gaal's team.

United were already forced to hand a full debut to Guillermo Varela in defence and near the end of the first half Van Gaal was forced to send on Cameron Borthwick-Jackson following a Matteo Darmian injury.

The second half saw another young United star make a rare appearance as Nick Powell was called on to replace Juan Mata.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson of Manchester United came on to replace Matteo Darmian at Wolfsburg

Nick Powell also came off the bench for United to make his first appearance for the club in over a year

Neither could help rescue the Red Devils from tumbling into the Europa League, but with United's experienced stars failing to shine consistently this term, Van Gaal could now turn to his kids more often.

So who are the unlikely heroes that could feature more for Manchester United at Old Trafford as the season progresses?

Borthwick-Jackson was making just his second appearance for Manchester United having made his debut as a 76th minute substitution during a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford.

The 18-year-old slotted in at left-back at the Volkswagen Arena and although he wasn't highly effective in an attacking sense - failing to find a team-mate with two crosses - he offered enough defensive discipline to deny Wolfsburg creative freedom on their right flank.

Given that Borthwick-Jackson was a preferred choice to the vastly more experienced Ashley Young shows just how much faith Van Gaal has in the teenager who could be seeing much more first-team action given the full-back crisis at Old Trafford.

Powell's introduction was a personal triumph for the midfielder who last featured for Manchester United in the infamous 4-0 defeat by MK Dons in the Capital One Cup over a year ago.

Naldo sneaks in behind Powell to head home Wolfsburg's winner in the Champions League clash

Borthwick-Jackson made his United debut in a Premier League game against West Brom in November

Since then Powell has only played three games and all were on loan at Leicester City, with his Wolfsburg appearance also marking his first game of 2015.

Powell was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson from Crewe Alexandra in 2012 for £4million and was rated as one of England's most talented youngsters.

Immediately he looked a steal - scoring on his debut in a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic.

Powell is unveiled along with Shinji Kagawa as a United player by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012

On his debut for the club, Powell struck in a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the Premier League 

Before joining the Red Devils as an 18-year-old he was compared to Steven Gerrard but injuries and the change of hierarchy at Old Trafford have stunted his development.

Powell was given just 21 minutes to make an impact but did create chances while on the pitch and could be another youngster Van Gaal will throw more first-team action too.

The form of Bastian Schweinsteiger has been a concern for Van Gaal who claimed before the Wolfsburg defeat: 'Until now we haven’t seen the best of Schweinsteiger, the player I saw at Bayern Munich. I believe that in every match we have played he could have played better.'

Schweinsteiger's below standard showings means Powell may be given another chance to show why the Red Devils paid £4million for him. 

Manchester United's 3-2 defeat by Wolfsburg saw them tumble out the Champions League