Manchester United’s u18s were the club’s only outfit in action this Saturday as they hosted Leeds United in league action.
It was a disastrous start though, as Leeds took an early lead with an incredible goal from Luca Thomas. Crossed in from the left, the Leeds striker controlled the ball up and past Tyler Fredricson to turn and volley into the back of the net, leaving Tom Wooster no chance.
United would equalise in the 10th minute though. Sam Mather dispossessed Leeds at their end and quickly found Joe Hugill, who lifted the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle on the right.
Shortly after, Dan Gore raked a diagonal ball to find Ethan Ennis on the right of the box, but the winger got too much under the ball and soared it over the bar.
Unfortunately, a muscle pull forced United’s key midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to be subbed off in the 15th minute for Omari Forson.
A curled in free kick found Willy Kambwala at the back post for what looked almost a guaranteed goal, but the Frenchman connected with the ball all wrong and hit it away from goal.
In the 28th minute United took the lead when Forson played a give and go with Gore to get to the byline on the right and cut back for Ennis to smash past the keeper.
United quickly made it a third as Ennis played Mather out the right and the winger’s shot could only parried by the keeper to Forson to tap in.
In the dying seconds of the first half, Leeds’ Thomas looked for his second with a curling effort that pinged off the left post.
United came flying out of the gate in the second half and grabbed another goal within a minute. Marc Jurado played Forson to the byline and the Leeds defender could only block his cross at the back into a dangerous area for Ennis to follow up and slot home from close range.
With the three goal lead, United looked to take the foot off the gas and strolled through the second half.
Mather should have added another late on when Forson squared for him in the box but he sliced his shot and put it wide.
Four goals was enough to secure the victory though and United move up to 10th in the table with as many as six games in hand on those above them.
United: Wooster, Jurado, Kambwala, Fredricson, Murray, Oyedele, Gore, Mather, Mainoo (Forson 15), Ennis (Pye 64), Hugill (Norkett 68)
Unused subs: Hanbury, Aljofree