Young United Lads Steamroll Oxford in Youth Cup – Carrick's Got a Grin from Ear to Ear!
Manchester United's under-18s cruised to a 4-1 victory over Oxford United in the FA Youth Cup round of 16, with goals from Albert Mills, JJ Gabriel, Chido Obi, and Noah Ajayi. Michael Carrick watched on as Darren Fletcher's side dominated, advancing to face the Sunderland or Brighton winners in the quarter-finals. Jim Thwaites starred on his return from injury with key set-pieces.
Alright, lads, pull up a stool at the pub because Manchester United's under-18s just put on a proper show in the FA Youth Cup round of 16. We're talking a Kassam Stadium showdown against Oxford United on Wednesday night, and if you blinked, you might've missed the fireworks. Darren Fletcher's young guns dismantled the home side with a clinical 4-1 win, marching into the quarter-finals like they owned the place. Oh, and get this – Michael Carrick himself rocked up to watch the carnage unfold. Bloke probably left with a bigger smile than after a last-minute derby winner.
Let's rewind to the first half, where it felt like United were playing with cheat codes. Barely 12 minutes in, Yuel Helafu flicks the ball inside to Bendito Mantato, who does this silky pirouette on his marker – proper ballerina stuff – and unleashes a shot that's parried wide for a corner. Enter Jim Thwaites, the comeback kid making his first start after shaking off an injury. He whips in a beauty of a set-piece, and Albert Mills rises like a salmon up a stream to bullet a header past the keeper. 1-0, and the Red Devils are purring.
Thwaites wasn't done there, mind. His corners kept Oxford's defence on red alert, nearly gifting Chido Obi a tap-in when the lad flicked one agonisingly over the bar from point-blank range. 'So close!' you'd have yelled at the telly. Then JJ Gabriel joins the party, lofting a ball over the top for Mantato to chase. The forward's cheeky placed effort kisses the post and bounces away – gutting, that. But Gabriel wasn't fazed; right on the stroke of half-time, he lets rip from distance. The ball dips, swerves, and bounces like it's got a mind of its own. Oxford's keeper? Flummoxed. Spills it over the line. 2-0 at the break. Beers on United.
Second half kicks off, and Gabriel's at it again, curling one in that's fingertip-flicked away for another corner. Persistent, that lad. But the third goal? Pure class. Junior Brown jinks down the left like he's got roller skates on, cuts back, and lays it on a plate for Obi to slot home. 3-0, and Oxford's lot are staring down the barrel.
Fair play to the U's, though – they weren't going down without a scrap. Around the hour mark, their livewire Mo Missanga mirrors Brown's trick down the left and picks out Josh Holton for a tidy finish. 3-1, game on? Nah, not really. United soak up the pressure, and as stoppage time ticks down, they ice the cake. Noah Ajayi, fresh off the bench, nearly nicks one earlier but seals the deal proper. Jay McEvoy pings it wide to him on the left, Ajayi shoulders off his man, glides past another, and rifles it into the near post. 4-1, get the bus booked for the quarters!
Line-up wise, it was Byrne-Hughes in goal, with Helafu (subbed for J. Watson late on), Mills, Armer, Kukonki, McCormack, Thwaites (McEvoy 75'), Mantato, Gabriel, Brown (Ajayi 75'), and Obi up top. Bench warmers Heath, D. Nkoto, Shah, and Bradbury stayed cosy. Scorers: Mills (12'), Gabriel (45'), Obi (50'), Ajayi (90+3). As reported by The Peoples Person on OneFootball, this lot look like they've got serious pedigree.
Next up? The winners of Sunderland versus Brighton in the last eight. If Fletcher's boys keep this form, Carrick might be scouting for the first team before you know it. These kids aren't just winning; they're entertaining. Proper Red Devils DNA shining through. Cheers to that – pint's on me if they lift the cup!
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