Academy duo both scores braces as Darren Fletcher’s U18s destroy Liverpool for second time this season

Manchester United Under-18s hosted rivals Liverpool Under-18s at Carrington on Wednesday afternoon. Darren Fletcher’s side were back to full strength after heavily rotating at the weekend with the return of both JJ Gabriel and Jim Thwaites. The last time the two sides met, United came away with a resounding 7-0 win and aimed to do the same again. First half The young Red Devils looked to take control from the start, with Noah Ajayi finding Louie Bradbury inside the box within a minute of the start, but the Welsh striker’s effort sailed wide of the post. United ultimately took the lead in the 18th minute. Rafe McCormack drove forward from the back and picked out Junior Brown, who flicked it on first time to Jay McEvoy, who drilled the ball past the keeper at the near post. McEvoy did not just impress in the opposition box on the day; his defensive efforts proved important shortly after when he thwarted La’more Lee Forrester escaping down the wing. On the half-hour mark, McEvoy chipped the ball into Jim Thwaites in the area before running in for the return ball. He then jinked his way past the defender and slotted low off his left boot to make it 2-0 at the break. Second half Junior Brown earned a free kick early in the second half in Thwaites territory, but the midfielder, who has garnered comparisons to David Beckham, could only strike the ball into the wall on this occasion. With just over an hour gone, Haydn Murray-Holme’s corner delivery to the front post was scuffed by Bradbury, allowing Joe Bradshaw to tap in from close range. Despite pulling one back, Liverpool never truly threatened United’s safety in the match. Amir Ibragimov continued his return from injury, coming off the bench to make a big impact. First, he was tripped up inside the box to earn a penalty. A discussion was had about who would take the kick, with JJ Gabriel reigning supreme. The 15-year-old confidently smashed the ball into the bottom right corner to make it 3-1. It was Ibragimov and Gabriel who combined again for the fourth goal. Ibragimov slipped Gabriel through into the box to supply a deft finish low into the far corner for his 22nd goal in 22 league appearances. The victory leaves United in second place, three points off leaders Manchester City with just two matches remaining. The Manchester rivals will also face off in the FA Youth Cup final, which has yet to have been scheduled. Match facts United: Byrne-Hughes, Overy, Mills (C), McCormack, Helafu, Thwaites (Ibragimov 57), McEvoy, Brown (Plunkett 75), Gabriel, Ajayi (Lusale 68), Bradbury (Shah 75). Unused subs: Heath. Booked: Brown. Goals: McEvoy 18, 30, Gabriel 82, 87. Featured image James Fearn via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social 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. You can follow him X: RedYouthUnited.