FA Youth Cup: Manchester United 4 Chelsea 0; agg 6-3: match report
Read a full match report of the FA Youth Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday April 20 2011.
By Daren Witcoop 10:00PM BST 20 Apr 2011
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Although Manchester United failed to reach the FA Cup final, the next generation of Old Trafford hopefuls reached the FA Youth Cup final on Wednesday night with an emphatic drubbing of Chelsea.
In front of a crowd of 9,124 which included Bobby Charlton and United first-team players Chris Smalling, Gabriel Obertan and Patrice Evra, the home side secured a win which will have been especially painful for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is determined that his side start producing youngsters capable of graduating to the first team.
United now face a two-legged final against Sheffield United. The directors’ box at Old Trafford was full of watching scouts, looking for the next young player they can poach if they fail to make the grade in the senior side.
The benchmark for success remains Manchester United’s 1992 winning squad that contained seven future internationals. From David Beckham to Ryan Giggs, the golden generation formed part of the dynasty Sir Alex Ferguson has built.
Yet the obstacles that stand in the way of a first-team place are becoming bigger with every year. From three years ago, the Chelsea FA Youth Cup side that lost the final to Manchester City, only Gael Kakuta, Miroslav Stoch, Jeffrey Bruma and Patrick Van Aanholt have broken through. All four have now gone out on loan.
Of Chelsea’s side on Wednesday night, only Josh McEachran hads tasted first-team experience this season. The other destined to join him is Ravel Morrison, although this Manchester United striker has a very different story to tell.
At the start of February, Morrison stood in the dock of Trafford youth court, after admitting two charges of intimidating a witness. But Morrison was given a reprieve as the judge decided on a 12-month referral order. Ferguson stood by him following his scrape with the law. On this evidence you could see just why.
Morrison hauled the home side level on aggregate when his volley was deflected in in the first half. William Keane headed Sean McGinty’s cross home three minutes later before putting the tie beyond doubt when he bundled the ball home in the 78th minute.
The young striker then picked himself up to convert a late penalty, saluting the crowd in the process.
MATCH DETAILS
Manchester United (4-4-2): Johnston; Keane, Fornasier, Thorpe, McGinty, Cole, Tunnicliffe, Pogba (Lingard 86), Van Velzen (Blackett 72); Morrison (Lyons 89), Keane,
Chelsea (4-4-1): Blackman; Kane, Jalas, Pappoe, Deen-Conteh; Ince (Nditi 46), Chalobah, Saville, Devyne (Prosenik 80), McEachran; Lalkovic.
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