LONDON: Caring Manchester United's Ashley Young (pic) helps tend to an eight-year-old lad knocked down by a car close to the Red Devils' Old Trafford ground, reported The Sun.

The club’s 27-year-old winger defied the bad boy reputation of the Premier League’s millionaire footballers by looking after the youngster and the boy’s distressed dad.

Despite kick-off at last Saturday’s home game against Tottenham approaching fast, Ashley - out of the side with a knee injury - waited until medics arrived.

The lad is believed to have been hit by a Range Rover as he walked across the road.

Onlooker Michael Robinson, 23, said: “We were on our way to the game when we heard a sickening thud. When we turned round we could see this young lad on the floor screaming and shouting.

“As we got closer I saw that Ashley Young had stopped to help the boy. There was blood on the back of the lad’s head and he was crying as his dad held him in his arms. Ashley was on his phone and seemed to be very concerned. The lad seemed more shook up than anything - but then he seemed to get worse.

“Ashley wasn’t bothered about kick-off. He waited with the young lad and his dad. It was good to see him behaving just like any other member of the public.”

Police said the young fan suffered a fractured skull in the “minor collision” and is under observation in hospital. Ashley eventually made it to the ground where United lost 3-2.