Manchester United Under-18s took a point in our match against Everton in a 4-4 draw at Finch Farm on Saturday morning.

Ray Robert gave the hosts the lead midway through the first half, after a strong United start.

The Reds pulled it back to 2-1 shortly before the half-time whistle through Jim Thwaites and Victor Musa, before a George Finney cross deflected into our net to send the two sides in level.

Gabriele Biancheri put Adam Lawrence’s side ahead on the other side of the interval. Two quick goals from Everton’s Malik Olayiwola then looked like clinching the win for the hosts, until Shea Lacey rescued a point in the final moments.

After a dominant start, Biancheri almost opened the scoring for Adam Lawrence’s side in the 14th minute with a curling effort, denied by the woodwork, but it was the hosts who took the lead 10 minutes later when Toffees striker Robert entered our penalty area from the left and squeezed a finish past the goalkeeper.

Shortly after, directly from a free-kick just outside of the penalty area, Thwaites gave Douglass Lukjanciks no chance to reach his curling effort struck neatly into the top-left corner.

Musa then gave the young Reds the lead for the first time in the game, hitting the same spot as Thwaites from a similar distance, in open play this time, to make the score 2-1.

We looked to be heading into the break with that one-goal advantage, when George Finney’s cross was deflected into our net moments before the half-time whistle, with the last touch possibly coming off James Overy.

After the restart, Samuel Lusale picked up a second ball from a Thwaites corner and struck it powerfully towards a crowded six-yard box. Unsure if it was heading for goal, Biancheri got an instinctive touch on the effort, claiming the Reds’ third and reinstating our lead.

Everton forward Olayiwola managed to intercept a William Murdock pass and slot home a finish just past the hour mark to level the game, before sending his side into the lead a few minutes later after collecting a rebounded ball and tapping into an empty net for the Toffees’ fourth.

Lawrence’s charges worked hard through the end of the game to try and find an equaliser, piling plenty of pressure on their opposite numbers, but it didn’t look like that last equaliser was coming.

But it finally arrived in the very last seconds of the game, when Lacey slalomed into the penalty area and found a gap to place his finish beyond Lukjanciks, securing a point for the young Reds in the nick of time.

Despite our valiant efforts, Manchester City’s 4-3 win against Derby County means we cannot overtake them at the top of the table.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Murdock; Munro, Mills, Armer, Overy; Devaney (c) (Lusale 34), Baumann (Bailey 71); Musa, Ibragimov, Thwaites; Biancheri (Lacey 61).

Unused substitutes: Byrne-Hughes, Gabriel.

Goals: Thwaites 35, Musa 42, Biancheri 59, Lacey 90+6.

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Ruben Amorim can’t say that Diogo Dalot’s season is at an end, given the full-back’s hard-work ethic and determination to always be available.

Ruben revealed on Friday that Diogo had picked up a calf injury that would rule him out of United’s next few games.

With only a month of the campaign to go, there is surely some doubt about whether our reigning Players’ Player of the Year will be involved again before the summer.

But Dalot – who has missed just one outing in 2024/25, due to suspension – prides himself on his consistency, something Amorim touched upon in our pre-match interview, which you can watch and read below…

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Ruben, you’ve had the rare benefit of having a week between the games. Has that allowed the squad to recover not only physically but emotionally from last week?
“Yeah, it was important. Not just that, but to improve as a team – more time to work on the pitch, more time to see videos and analyse not just the last game but the other ones that we didn’t have the time [to look at properly]. To prepare this game, to prepare the next one: that is massive for us, so we are focused on the game on Sunday.”

Yeah, it’s Bournemouth away next, so how’s the squad looking for that one?
“Fine. We had a issue with Dalot, but the rest are recovered and we need to face this game at the top level because they are a very good team. They are fighting for European football and we need to improve in the Premier League. I think we deserved more in the last game. We need to improve the way we score goals. I think we are defending better, so we have a lot to play [for] in this moment.”

It’s obviously a blow to lose Diogo but how much is he working hard to try to get back?
“You know Diogo, he did all the games and then he had that issue. You can’t say that Diogo is out until the end of the season because Diogo will work hard, to help us in the last games.”

You’ll obviously have one eye on the Athletic Club first leg next week, but how much does that game come into your thinking when it comes to choosing the team?
“A little bit, to be honest, but I think that this game we need to be focused on just this game. We had this week to clean. I think the next one in the Premier League [Brentford] it is important for us to be careful. I think during the game we are going to see if there is any player that is tired or with something and try to manage that.”

We know how good Bournemouth can be, from the first game this season. What did you learn about them that day and have your thoughts on them changed since?
“The same as any other team in the Premier League. We are understanding better the way that football is played in this country. They have really good players in the offence, they play quite well and they are a team with a lot of pressure in the build-up of the opponent, so we expect that, especially in their home. But we are ready for that.”

Just finally, Europe is obviously a big focus for us now, but how important are these league games for us in terms of gaining that confidence and form?
“In this club, everything is important, as it should be. So we need to be focusing one game at a time and we need to win the game, not just because of the Europa League, but because we are Manchester United and we need to win more points.”

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Former Manchester United defender John O’Shea believes there is a great opportunity for Ruben Amorim to build momentum at the club by winning the Europa League in May.

It’s been a difficult season at Old Trafford, with the club struggling in the lower half of the Premier League table, but United will enter the final month of 2024/25 still dreaming of silverware.

Athletic Club stand between us and a final and they will be a significant obstacle, as the showpiece event takes place at the Basques’ San Mames home.

O’Shea thinks that, if we do defeat Ernesto Valverde’s side over two legs and go on to lift the trophy, it will make a huge difference going into the next campaign.

“He’s been really refreshing to see, because he obviously wears his heart on his sleeve,” Sheasy said, when asked to judge Amorim’s first six months in the head-coach role.

“You can see how passionate he is, and also how honest he is in his interviews before and after the games as well, and there’s no hiding place.

“He’s obviously worked at a high level, and now he’s come into the intensity of the Premier League, which I’m sure would have taken him a little bit of time to adjust to.

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“But now you can see, hopefully if we can get to this European final, it’s a chance for the team to get a bit of early success under his stewardship.

“If he can get that, you can also get a lot of momentum behind it too.

“Listen, Manchester United will always be an attractive proposition, but we have to face the reality: there’s more competition now in the transfer market for other players.

“So when you’re winning trophies, that always attracts players.”

Hopefully any new signings can match the impact of the three incomings from last summer that Sheasy went on to name.

The Irishman was renowned for his versatility during his playing career – famously playing in every position, including goalkeeper – and it’s something he sees in Noussair Mazraoui too.

“Right from the off, his flexibility and adaptability has been very helpful to the team,” he added.

“He’s showed really good qualities defensively, especially 1v1, and also in terms of attacking, he’s been able to contribute as well.

“I think he’s been a real positive.”

The 43-year-old also picked out Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro as a pair of defenders who we are beginning to see the best of, having adjusted to English football.

“I think Matthijs, in fairness to him, obviously he picked up a bit of an injury recently, but he was really starting to show some improved form and show that quality that everyone knows he possesses.

“I think it was just a matter of time really, with that consistency. He was going to find that level and it’s getting to know new team-.mates as well. Settling into the English Premier League can always take a few months.

“With Leny, we’ll have no worries about him in terms of what he’s going to develop into, and he’s going to be an excellent player.

“You can see not only now, but, for the future, I think he’ll be part of Manchester United’s defence for numerous years to come, whether it be a back three or back four or whatever, whatever the manager wants to play.”

John was speaking at a United Foundation event at Ulster University, to showcase its ongoing outreach work across Derry-Londonderry and mark a new partnership with the International Fund for Ireland (IFI).

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Sixty years since United won the 1964/65 title

On this day 60 years ago, Manchester United effectively clinched the league title with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Reds had been battling with Leeds United for the Division One title and the home win over the Gunners proved decisive.

Leeds finished their campaign with a 3-3 draw against relegated Birmingham City, matching our 61 points. Although we still had a game left to play, which we lost 2-1 at Aston Villa, our vastly superior goal difference ensured glory for Matt Busby’s men and, poignantly, a first title since the Munich Air Disaster.

Only a defeat by 19 goals or more at Villa Park would have seen United surrender top spot.

Some of the 51,000+ crowd at the Theatre of Dreams invaded the pitch after the final whistle in celebration, with Denis Law taking much of the acclaim.

The Scotland striker was clearly suffering with a knee problem, that was heavily bandaged, but played through the pain and set up a seventh-minute opener for George Best. Law did well to feed Best and the winger’s shot deceived Jim Furnell in the Arsenal goal.

As news filtered through that Leeds were losing, the Reds doubled our lead, just before the hour mark. Nobby Stiles’s free-kick was met by Law and David Herd forced Furnell to push his effort against the bar. Law was alert to the rebound and converted in his inimitable style.

The nerves returned when Paddy Crerand hacked Joe Baker down inside the box. George Eastham netted at the second attempt, after Pat Dunne saved his initial penalty.

The tension was palpable but the fans could celebrate when Best’s 84th-minute corner evaded Furnell and Don Howe so Law pounced on the gift to make it 3-1 with his second of the afternoon.

Leeds had only been playing 10 men for virtually all of their game as Birmingham’s Alec Jackson picked up a shoulder injury, following a challenge by Terry Cooper, and had to leave the field.

Don Revie’s side roared back in a bid to overturn their three-goal deficit, with a penalty by ex-Red Jonny Giles and a Paul Reaney drive giving them hope. There was late drama when Jack Charlton, brother of Bobby of course, crashed Leeds level in the 88th minute, despite strong appeals for offside.

Thankfully, Birmingham held out, despite being down to nine fit men in the final seconds due to an injury to Malcolm Beard, and there was no second point earned by the Yorkshiremen. 

A seventh league win on the trot had been enough for Busby’s side, barring any sort of catastrophe at Villa, and it was time to enjoy the moment.

“I am proud of these lads who have won the championship for Manchester United,” Busby told the Daily Express. “Every single one of them.

“It has been a long, hard road. It has been a long, hard season.

“There have been times when we just could not seem to find the blend. But, not for the first time, I have found that patience is a virtue.

“I have always felt, and I think I have always said, that we have the right quality of players at Old Trafford to win the title.

“It has been a splendid job of teamwork, from board to backroom boys, exactly as I have said of Leeds United, the team we have so narrowly beaten to it and who have had such a wonderful season.”

1964/65 DIVISION ONE STATS

APPEARANCES

42: Shay Brennan, John Connelly, Tony Dunne, Bill Foulkes.
41: George Best, Bobby Charlton.

GOALS

28: Denis Law
20: David Herd
15: John Connelly
10: George Best, Bobby Charlton

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