Manchester United U21s hosted Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon in Premier League 2 action.
It was a change of setting for United as they played at Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium rather than their usual home ground of Leigh Sports Village.
Coming into the match with a perfect record, United looked to continue their strong start to the season against Crystal Palace who were unbeaten themselves.
First half
Crystal Palace’s Asher Agbinone called Dermot Mee into action early on with a speculative effort from a wide angle which Mee smothered after an initial spill.
Operating in an unusual left-back role, Jack Fletcher curled in a deep cross towards Gabriele Biancheri, who headed just wide of the target.
The scoring wasn’t opened until stoppage time though, when Finley McAllister fed the ball into Biancheri who laid off with one touch for United captain Jacob Devaney to strike from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner.
Second half
Into the second half, Devaney returned the favour by providing the assist for Biancheri to double United’s lead.
Devaney burst down the right wing towards the byline before clipping a cross for Biancheri to head in from five yards out.
Biancheri latched onto a loose ball shortly after and darted into the box but his off-balance shot was held by the keeper.
In the 79th minute, Agbinone cut inside from the left wing and his 25-yard strike took a slight deflection that helped as it soared into the top right corner.
United substitute Shea Lacey then restored United’s two goal lead with a nicely placed free-kick goal to match Jim Thwaites earlier in the day for the U18s.
Lacey then capped off the match with his second goal to seal a 4-1 victory.
Jayce Fitzgerald’s long switch was taken in stride by Lacey, who then skipped past his marker before smashing the ball into the far corner from a tight angle.
The win takes United to the top of the Premier League 2 table with a perfect five wins from five.
Travis Binnion turns his attention next to the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, with a visit to Lincoln City.
Match facts
United: Mee, Kamason, Munro (T.Fletcher 62), Armer, J.Fletcher, McAllister (Lacey 63), Devaney, Mantato (Obi 63), Fitzgerald, Scanlon, Biancheri (Musa 90)
Unused subs: Murdock
Goals: Devaney 45+2, Biancheri 56, Lacey 87, 90
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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.
