Manchester United have confirmed that the audience for the FA Youth Cup final will be sold out at Old Trafford.
United’s U18 hosts Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, and the club’s youngsters will play in front of the full capacity of Old Trafford as they battle to win the Youth Cup. More than 70,000 tickets were sold for the match, including 6,000 visiting fans.
United want to win the Youth Cup for the first time since 2011. Paul PogbaJesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison have performed on that side, but the club’s newest youngsters, Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, Dan Gore and Charlie McNeill, now want to expand United’s rich history in the prestigious competition following an unforgettable campaign led by manager Travis Binnion.
The Reds won Youth Cup (10) more times than any club and will bid to extend that record.
It was a miserable season at United, and the youngsters were the only positive ones.
Follow the blog below for live updates from Old Trafford.
KEY EVENT
Ratings of United players such as Garnacho and Bennett stars in the Youth Cup victory
Radek Vitek
A good performance was overshadowed by an error for Forest’s goal. 5
Marc Jurado
They complemented the attacks well and played a few dangerous balls behind the lines. 6
Rhys Bennett
A real captain’s performance. Great goal in a great game and defended superbly. 8
90 + 2 ‘- MUN 2-1 NORichard Fay
OPPORTUNITY!
United should have a third. Garnacho breaks with speed, but has only eyes for goal as he flashes over the crossbar. If he had passed by his side, he would have secured the trophy.
88 ‘- MUN 2-1 NOSteven Railston
The players are tired
Every young man in that field did his socks tonight.
86 ‘- MUN 2-1 NOSteven Railston
Mather is coming down
Mather is coming down.
Aljofree is coming.
It’s a winger for a defender.
77 ‘- MUN 2-1 NORichard Fay
Garnacho covers in style
Never a penalty, but what a cool ending.
Garnacho didn’t do much tonight, but he managed to score a penalty and then finished it with ease.
75 ‘- MUN 2-1 NOKEY EVENT
GOAL! 2-1 UNITED!
GOAL! 2-1 UNITED!
Garnacho addresses from the seat.
United is ahead again.
75 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOKEY EVENT
PENALTY FOR UNITED!
PENALTY FOR UNITED!
Garnacho is down.
However, it was not a penalty, it was out of the box – a bad decision.
73 ‘- MUN 1-1 NORichard Fay
Stretford End find your voice
United are enjoying the best spell of the second half, and the Stretford End is finding its voice again. Fifteen minutes remained and it was evenly distributed. A goal would get this for both sides, if not, we have overtime and maybe penalties.
66 ‘- MUN 1-1 NORichard Fay
McNeill was not happy to be gone
Charlie McNeill talks to Travis Binnion as he is replaced by Joe Hugill. He didn’t look happy about it, but he was almost out of the game tonight.
64 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSteven Railston
United made a double change
McNeill and Hansen left.
Hugill and Oyedele on.
61 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSamuel Luckhurst
United faded after a great start
United have been pretty aimless for most of this and are preparing a change or changes below us. They intentionally started this half, but Forest passed it with minimal crowds, and Gore and Mainoo didn’t have enough time on the ball to control the game.
57 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSteven Railston
This match could go to penalties
He has to be a winner tonight.
There could be overtime and penalty kicks if the result stays the same.
50 ‘- MUN 1-1 NORichard Fay
This was great magic
Really good magic for United in the last few minutes. They have so many talented young players that there is always a chance to score from nothing.
49 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSteven Railston
This is better than United
This is better than United, who started the second half well.
McNeill was just gesturing to the crowd for more noise.
48 ‘- MUN 1-1 NORichard Fay
Vitek continued
It was a worrying blow for Vitek’s goalkeeper, but it’s okay for him to continue. Wooster was about to enter just in case.
46 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSteven Railston
Brave start from Vitek
After making a mistake for the goal, Vitek knelt in the face with a brave defense.
HT – MUN 1-1 NORichard Fay
Half time scores
And here are your grades at halftime …
Radek Vitek
Good performance overshadowed by a mistake for the Forest goal. 4
Marc Jurado
Well complemented the attacks. 5
Rhys Bennett
A real captain’s performance. Big goal in a big game. 8
Louis Jackson
He coped well with the threat of the Forest. 6
Sam Murray
Great delivery for the starting goal. 7
Kobbie Mainoo
He blinded the Forest defense and regained possession several times. 8
Day Up
Super recovery. 7
Isaac Hansen
He committed several offenses with smart runs, including a free kick for the opening goal. 6
Alejandro Garnacho
Energetic, but with little end product. It closed several times before the break. 7
Sam Mather
Lively whenever he came on the ball. 6
Charlie McNeill
Gradually grew into a game. 6
44 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOSamuel Luckhurst
It’s hard not to feel for Vitek
These are two goalkeeping mistakes. It’s hard not to feel for Vitek. Several of his teammates cheered him on and the only good thing is that half time is inevitable. It will take time-out for him to overcome this.
He just rushed out of his goal to kick the ball, but is still burying his head in his hands.
43 ‘- MUN 1-1 NOKEY EVENT
GOAL! 1-1 FOREST!
GOAL! 1-1 FOREST!
That was coming.
A Vitak fan on United’s goal.
41 ‘- MUN 1-0 NOSteven Railston
OPPORTUNITY!
Garnacho’s effort simply goes wide.
He just didn’t wrap the ball around the ball enough.
.