Manchester United u18s hosted Leeds United at Carrington on Saturday morning.
Looking to bounce back from their devastating FA Youth Cup exit during the week, Adam Lawrence’s side were hot out of the gates with an early lead just a minute in.
Amir Ibragimov stole the ball in the Leeds area and was hacked down in the process to earn a penalty. Victor Musa was denied from the spot but was quick to react to finish the rebound.
Jayden Ngwashi the slipped Musa through into the box minutes later as Musa turned his marker inside onto his stronger left boot to finish low past the keeper.
Musa completed his hat-trick inside 15 minutes when Dan Armer’s phenomenal cross field ball found Samuel Lusale on the right wing, who had his shot saved. However, Musa was on hand again for an easy tap in to make it 3-0.
Our #MUAcademy U18s are 9-0 up at half-time… #MUFC || #U18PL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 5, 2025
The goals were only getting started though, Musa added his fourth two minutes later. Picking the ball up on the right wing, Musa cut inside and curled a perfectly placed shot into the bottom left corner.
Musa’s fifth of the match came in the 25th minute and was perhaps the best of the lot. Ibragimov started the attack before Musa initially had his strike blocked, but the ball bounced up kindly for him to volley with his right boot into the top corner.
On the half hour mark, a new name finally joined the scoresheet when Jim Thwaites curled one of his patented free kicks over the wall and into the top left corner.
Despite the comfortable score line, Ibragimov led a relentless press which saw him force a turnover in the box before laying off to Thwaites for an easy finish.
The duo combined again just 30 seconds later when Ibragimov cut inside two defenders to lay it on a plate for Thwaites to complete his hat-trick.
The first half was rounded off with Musa’s sixth of the match, scoring from close range after Dante Plunkett’s cross was deflected to make it 9-0. This bettered the score in the reverse fixture of 8-0.
Into the second half and United didn’t look like letting up as they made it 10 within minutes of the restart. A new scorer joined the list as James Bailey smashed the ball into the top left corner after Musa’s lay-off.
With United taking their foot off the gas, Leeds capitalised on their casualness in possession with Kenneth Mensah dispossessing Zach Baumann before applying a quick finish to pull one back at 10-1.
Dan Armer then got forward to head home from Jack Fletcher’s corner delivery.
JJ Gabriel came off the bench in the 64th minute to become United’s youngest ever player for the u18s.
Gabriel showed why he was given the chance by scoring twice to finish the scoring at 13-1.
Gabriel turned well in the box after Jacob Devaney’s pass to slot low past the keeper for his first before he did excellently on his second goal.
The 14 year old controlled down Plunkett’s cross under pressure before shifting past his marker and slotting into the bottom right corner.
United’s u18s are next in action next Saturday when they travel to take on Nottingham Forest.
United: Byrne-Hughes, Overy (Kamason 72), Ngwashi, Armer, Plunkett, Bailey, Baumann (Devaney 72), Lusale, Ibragimov (J.Fletcher 72), Thwaites (Gabriel 64), Musa
Unused subs: Murdock
Featured image George Wood via Getty Images
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Colm Murphy
A football obsessed Canadian who moved to England to enjoy the beautiful game. Colm has been keen follower of Manchester United’s famed academy since seeing a fresh faced Adnan Januzaj for the club’s u18s and has been writing about football with a focus on youth development for over 10 years.
