Skip to Main NavigationSkip to content
Tuesday 19 August 2025 17:00
Manchester United’s Academy sides began the 2025/26 league campaign with victories on the road.
The Under-18s were 1-0 winners at Everton’s Finch Farm, where new lead coach Darren Fletcher discussed his passion for the role post-match with club media, as you can read below.
Travis Binnion’s Under-21s followed two days later, with a triumph by the same scoreline at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
FLETCHER RELISHING NEW ROLE
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Fletcher, who progressed through our Academy himself as a player.
“From the first time together in Germany at the adidas headquarters, the boys have been fantastic. We had pre-season games at Carrington and then we went to Zagreb, and the performance levels, the attitude, the application, in every game, they’ve been a real pleasure to work with so I’m really enjoying it.
Fletcher excited by new U18s role Video
Fletcher excited by new U18s role
INTERVIEW | Darren Fletcher discusses his new role as U18s lead coach and the intensity his side showed on Saturday…
“It’s nice to lead, to be in charge of your own team. I was always in a support role before, so I felt that for the next stage of my development as a coach, it was important that I led a group, and with Adam Lawrence leaving, the opportunity became available and it made sense from a number of reasons.
“I’m really excited to be on the grass every day, working with the team, implementing Manchester United’s style, club ideas alongside some of my own ideas and it’s been really enjoyable. And the most pleasing thing has been the players’ application and buy-in into it and I’m really enjoying seeing them play the United way.”
UNDER-18s BEGIN WITH THREE POINTS
Fletcher oversaw victory in his first league game as U18s lead, with captain Amir Ibragimov converting a first-half penalty to down Everton.
The scoreline, however, didn’t speak to the dominance that United established, with an impressive level of intensity on and off the ball from the young Reds in this opening league game.
“We’ve spoken about training the way we play,” Fletcher explained.
“We want the jumps to the game to be small. We don’t want to go from low intensity to the high intensity of a game and they’ve applied that.
U18s highlights: Everton v United Video
U18s highlights: Everton v United
U18 HIGHLIGHTS | Watch the key action from Everton v United on the opening day of the 2025/26 season…
“They’re fit because they’ve trained really hard, they’re willing — the application and desire is there — and the intensity is there. They’ve worked hard all pre-season.
“Overall, I thought it was a great performance. In and out of possession, we were fantastic and dominant. It’s only a 1-0 win, but it should have been more. We probably had 70-75% possession, created numerous chances, but we didn’t take them. That’s something we have to learn from.”
‘LET THEM DEVELOP’
Fletcher reminded fans and outsiders to let the young players involved in the Under-18s this season have the space and time to develop without excessive attention or pressure.
There were three youngsters involved in Saturday’s win at Everton playing up an age group or two, something that Fletcher himself experienced in his teenage years.
“It’s important we let them develop,” he explained.
“They’ve got loads of development to do but they’re sponges. They want to learn. They’re young boys who just enjoy football. They take on the information, we’re trying to give them a platform on which to express themselves.
“And we have to recognise their age as well. We don’t want them to grow up too quickly. Let them just develop. It’s difficult when they’re on TV, but that’s part of the game and the modern world. We don’t want to hold anybody back. If you’re performing, you’re going to get rewards for it. They’ve played because they deserve it and they’ve shown they can compete and fight at this level.
“We believe in a variety of experience so it’s important they play at their own age group and it’s important they get tested [at this level] and they find things tough.”
ENNIS FIRES UNDER-21s TO WIN
Ethan Ennis’s thumping finish got United off to a good start in Premier League 2, with a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
EFL TROPHY FIXTURES CONFIRMED
Some of United’s EFL Trophy group-stage fixtures have been confirmed.
We’ll face Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday 30 September (19:00 BST) and Notts County on Tuesday 4 November (19:00 BST).
Our fixture against Barnsley is still to be rubber-stamped.
U18s 90 in 20: Everton v United Video
U18s 90 in 20: Everton v United
U18s 90 in 20 | Watch extended highlights from an entertaining Everton v United fixture…
COMING UP
Friday 22 August | UNITED U21s v Norwich City | 14:00 | Not live on MUTV, updates on the United App
Saturday 23 August | UNITED U18s v Middlesbrough | 12:00 | Live on MUTV
Wednesday 27 August | UNITED U18s v Brighton & Hove Albion | 12:00 | Not live on MUTV, updates on the United App
Saturday 30 August | Derby County v UNITED U18s | 12:00 | Not live on MUTV, report to follow on United App
Sunday 31 August | UNITED U21s v Manchester City | 13:00 | Live on MUTV
Recommended:
Tuesday 19 August 2025 17:00
Back to Top
