Shea Lacey shines in U21s victory, but this marauding full-back showed he could be the biggest breakthrough star next season

Manchester United Under-21s defeated Crystal Palace in the Premier League 2 play-offs last night to set up a semi-final derby with Manchester City. These are our player ratings for the match. You can read a detailed match report here. (A score of six is around average.) Ratings Will Murdock – 7.5 – Made two big saves late on in the match to ensure Palace did not mount a comeback and displayed some good sweeping qualities in the first half. Jaydan Kamason – 8 – He looked back to his best from before the long injury lay-off. Going forward, he delivered a few good crosses, most notably picking out Jack Fletcher in the box, which could have easily resulted in an assist. Most impressive on the night was his defensive showing. A rock at the back, he came out on top in every one-v-one, using pace, strength, and great positioning effectively on a number of occasions to keep Palace out. Sonny Aljofree – 7.5 – Very solid at the back, he handled himself well in a very physical match and made his experience in senior football clear to see. At the other end, he also put a header into a dangerous area in the first half that should have been attacked better. Dan Armer – 7.5 – His quick reactions in the opposition box put United in the lead when he headed home the rebound from a Lacey shot in the first half. He was very comfortable on the ball, bringing the play forward with both passing and dribbling. Godwill Kukonki – 7.5 – Rarely troubled at the back and continues to impress with his lung-busting runs down the left wing, one of which led to Obi’s goal. Tyler Fletcher – 7.5 – A complete midfield performance, he was up to the challenge physically, covering the ground and getting stuck in physically. It was his off-the-ball work that played a key part in United’s counter-press that pinned Palace back in the second half and nearly created a second goal for Obi. Jim Thwaites – 7 – Known most for his spectacular set pieces, but it was the simple things that he did really well on the night. His quick one-touch passing in tight areas was pivotal for United exerting control. Shea Lacey – 7.5 – His incredible run earned the free kick and then his effort from that free kick resulted in Armer opening the scoring. He looked a quality above when he got going and went for it, but would like to see him force the action more and go at his marker relentlessly. Jack Fletcher – 7 – Finished with an assist and should have had a goal. Good work off the ball saw him win possession for Obi’s goal, and he could have had a goal of his own but he snatched at the chance off his weaker foot. Victor Musa – 5.5 – Safe in possession but made little impact in the final third. Chido Obi – 7.5 – Another hard-working display with relentless pressing from the front. He had to feed off scraps for the majority of the first half but did not let his head drop and took his goal excellently when the chance came his way. Featured image James Fearn via Getty Images Substitutes Jack Moorhouse – 6.5 – Linked up well with Lacey off the bench with some good movement on the right wing. James Scanlon – 6 – Did not get involved much off the bench. Gabriele Biancheri – N/A – Did not have much time to impact the match. 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.