2
Manchester United Below-18s took on Middlesbrough on Saturday morning at their Rockliffe Coaching Complicated.
As the primary group had been dispatching Tottenham Hotspur, Darren Fletcher’s younger Pink Devils had been trying to obtain the identical outcome on the similar time.
Fletcher had a younger aspect at his disposal, with three Below-15s that includes in United’s squad.
First half
Final night time’s hero for the Below-21s, Louie Bradbury, almost gave United the lead inside minutes of the beginning. Nathaniel Junior Brown broke into the penalty space from the best wing and reduce the ball again for Bradbury to strike it first time, just for it to hit the crossbar.
United then took the lead within the twelfth minute after Dan Armer initially did effectively to drive ahead and win a free kick on the sting of the world. JJ Gabriel stepped as much as curl the ball over the wall and into the highest left nook from 20 yards.
Gabriel’s father took to X, previously Twitter, to indicate off his son’s great strike.
— JG (@joeG8710) February 7, 2026
The house aspect threatened themselves when a nook discovered the pinnacle of Listowell Hinneh, however the Ghanaian couldn’t get sufficient energy on it to attain previous Fred Heath.
Heath was referred to as into motion once more later within the half when he did effectively to tip Lucas Harrison’s highly effective strike over the bar.
Middlesbrough had been creating the higher possibilities and bought their reward within the forty second minute. United didn’t clear their strains from a nook because the ball bounced round within the space earlier than Hinneh slotted within the unfastened ball.
The motion was not completed for the half but, although. Gabriel danced into the world and drilled a low ball throughout the face of aim, which was frantically cleared by Oliver Martin off the again of Logan Edmundson and into the aim to offer United the lead on the break.
Second half
Gabriel appeared to increase United’s lead within the second half with an early effort that stung the palms of goalkeeper Oliver Lloyd.
United had been nearly caught out by an audacious try from Martin, who curled the ball in direction of the highest nook, however it landed on prime of the web, narrowly over the crossbar.
Jay McEvoy and Gabriel each got here near including a 3rd for United, with each of their efforts crusing simply inches extensive of the aim. Either side shared some half-chances because the time ran out, with United retaining their 2-1 lead on the closing whistle.
The win retains United in second place within the league, however they now flip their consideration to the Premier League Cup, through which they’ll tackle West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.
Match info
United: Heath, Helafu, Mills, Armer (c), Watson, McEvoy, Shah (Kukonki 67), Gabriel, Brown (D. Nkoto 78), Plunkett (Ajayi 62), Bradbury.
Unused subs: Byrne-Hughes, Nyoni. Targets: Gabriel 12, Edmundson (og) 45.
Featured picture Carl Recine by way of Getty Photos
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