Manchester United’s under-18 team hosted rivals Liverpool in Carrington on Saturday morning with a young squad, including a number of players who are still eligible for under-16 football.
Liverpool were hot out of goal and Elih Harrison was checked in the first minute with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area, for which he held on well.
United’s first threat came from 15-year-old Shea Lacey, who cut to his left and floated in a delicate ball that Victor Musa threw to the goal, but was rejected by a fantastic save.
James Nolan started the game by charging inside and transferring the ball to Musa, who passed to the overlapping Ethan Williams to hit low and hard, for which the goalkeeper could not resist, which allowed James Scanlon to pounce and hit the ball in the 14th minute. .
Five minutes later, Louis Jackson intercepted Liverpool’s pass into the penalty area, but his control was weakened, which allowed Liverpool’s own 15-year-old player Karim Ahmed to touch the ball, bypassing Williams’ incoming challenge, and lose a penalty. Liverpool captain Terrence Miles inserted it into the bottom right corner to level.
United were waiting for a quick response when Lacey cut through the infield with his left boot and struck from the edge of the penalty area, but the ball was blocked on the corner.
Approaching the half-hour mark, United quickly counterattacked Liverpool. It all started with a precise long pass from Lacey, who split the defense and sent Musa on goal, but the young winger rethought it and failed his unsuccessful attempt over the goalkeeper.
A careless cough in possession gave Liverpool a 2 vs 1 scenario when Trent Kone-Doherty shot from eight yards down the middle, but Harrison stood up to fend it off and push the ball over the crossbar for a corner. Then Harrison flew out to pick him up, which was a good result of the summer signing.
United had a chance in the last seconds of the half when Manny Norkett blocked Musa and shot low, forcing the goalkeeper to push him back into danger, but Liverpool reacted faster and knocked out, leaving the score 1-1 by half-time.
A huge chance opened up for United early in the second half when James Nolan played a one-two with Lacey to get to the signature and cut in for Scanlon to kick on goal, but it was blocked and then fell to Norkett, who failed. t get a shot away.
In the 60th minute, Lacey again caused havoc on the right and went past his marker, who resorted to pushing him over, earning Liverpool’s Calum Scanlon a second yellow and an early shower.
A few minutes later, taking advantage of the extra man, Nolan made an excellent diagonal pass to Musa, who shot for the first time to find Norkett, lunging and hitting the goal. But the striker could not fully connect to beat the goalkeeper.
But the clinical Norkett would not have made the same mistake, as just a minute later it was a re-serve from Moussa, when Norkett slotted the ball from six yards and put United ahead.
United added a third goal in the 82nd minute with an incredible Jace Fitzgerald goal, a half-volley from over 25 yards that hit the crossbar.
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In stoppage time, Ranel Young ran past Jack Kingdon and then rounded Jackson before finishing under Harrison to give Liverpool a late consolation, but it wasn’t enough as United lost 3-2 to the winners.
United remain in third place, but with four games to spare over league leader Manchester City, who are eight points ahead.
United: Harrison, Nolan, Kingdon, Jackson, Williams, Fitzgerald, Berry (Mantato, 90), Lacey (Ibragimov, 80), Scanlon, Musa, Norkett
Unused substitutes: Wooster, Baumann, Munro.
