United's surge to the top of the Premier Under-21 League has been very much founded on excellent home form. However, it will be performances in away games that will dictate the destination of the title: this was the first of six games on the road in the eight game run in. In it, United improved as the game went on but rarely looked capable of pegging back their rivals' early goal.
Although Weir had an early chance cleared off the line, city dominated the early stages and took the lead when Smith-Brown carried the ball forward before drilling his shot past Pereira from the edge of the box. Warren Joyce will be disappointed that his side allowed the defender so much space, but it was sadly reflective of our performance in the first half hour: the Reds often struggled to get on the ball and frequently gave it away when they did.
United began to threaten more in the later stages of the half and a superb cross from Fosu-Mensah was close to finding the head of Keane in the area. This greater sense of purpose continued into the second half but they encountered a well-organised city side willing to defend their lead stoutly while always carrying a threat on the break.
These were, in short, opponents who looked well set up to hold on to a 1-0 lead and that's precisely what they did. The result leaves United top and two points clear of Sunderland, who play away at Liverpool tomorrow.
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