Under 21s: Chelsea 0 United 1

United's Under 21s finished the league season in the best possible way with a hard-fought but deserved victory at Stamford Bridge, which came courtesy of a goal from Matty Willock.  With the league title already won, this was effectively a meaningless game but the Reds approached it as if it were a title decider, showing a determination and will to win that speaks volumes for this group of players.

Willock almost broke the deadlock when his mazy run into the area ended with his shot being smothered by Collins in the Chelsea goal.   However, when a second chance fell to the midfielder, he made no mistake.  He started the move himself, moving the ball out to El Fitouri on the left.  His clever ball inside allowed Pereira to move the ball back to Willock, who steered his shot inside the far post.

Pereira ought to have made it two just before half-time, but he spooned his shot over the bar with only the keeper to beat.  At the other end there were some timely interventions from Phil Jones - a seemingly permanent member of the Under 21 team this days - but United were good value for their half-time lead.  

There was an old-fashioned 21-man brawl at the start of the second half, following an extraordinarily reckless tackle by Chelsea's Palmer, whose attempted challenge on El Fitouri was so wild he actually took out team mate Aina instead.  When the dust had settled, Palmer bizarrely walked away unpunished, with Josh Harrop and keeper Collins - who'd run forty yards to join the punch-up - both yellow carded for their involvement.

From there the game settled into a more sedate affair.  Mitchell had come on as a substitute for Januzaj at half-time and carried United's greatest threat.  First he then Harrop brought saves from Collins.  Chelsea began to dominate possession late in the half but the United defence rarely looked troubled and the Reds saw out the game comfortably.

Under 21s: Southampton 2 United 1

United's youngsters have often found trips to Southampton difficult to negotiate in recent years and this one proved no different.  Fortunately, of course, the league had already been secured, otherwise the Reds might have found themselves needing a result in the final, tricky-looking game at Chelsea next week.  

United were much the better side in the first half but failed to make a breakthrough.  McTominay, Riley and Redmond all had good opportunities thwarted by Southampton keeper Gazzaniga. 

They were made to pay for this when Southampton took the lead just after half-time, Gallacher drilling a low shot past Johnstone.   Their second goal was gifted to them by United.  Johnstone attempted to punch away a free kick from the right but succeeded only in finding the head of McNair, from which the ball rebounded into his own net.

Fortunately, Gazzaniga was in equally generous mood at the other end, fumbling a cross that landed at the feet of United substitute Willock, who prodded home from close range.  

The Reds pushed for an equaliser and might have had one had the keeper not been in the mood to atone for his error.  He did brilliantly to get down low and get a stiff arm to a powerful McNair header to turn it aside.  When Redmond skied his volley in stoppage time it was the last chance in an entertaining second period that ended with United falling to a rare defeat at this level, albeit one that has come too late to deprive them of the title.

Under 21s: Spurs 2 United 3

United sealed the Under 21 championship for the fourth time in five years in dramatic fashion after a thrilling match at White Hart Lane.  Guillermo Varela's winner in stoppage time gave the Reds the win after they'd allowed a good Spurs side to come back from a two goal deficit.

At first, it seemed the Reds weren't going to waste any time getting the job done.  After five minutes, a superb touch on the edge of the area from Pereira set up Donald Love, who fired powerfully home.  Pereira then doubled the lead himself ten minutes later, finishing with a sublime volley from Riley's long ball into the area.  

Spurs had beaten Sunderland last week to give United the chance to win the league tonight and they showed the class that had brought them that win when they came back into the contest and reduced the Reds' lead, Miller finishing off some persistent passing play by finishing with a carefully placed shot from the edge of the area.  Only a fine save from Joel Pereira prevented Spurs drawing level minutes later.

United missed a golden opportunity to extend their lead early in the second half when McGee's clearance fell straight at the feet of Love but, his instinctive shot fell wide of the post.  Despite that, it was Spurs who were having the best of the possession at that stage, with United restricted to chances on the break.

As the Spurs players began to tire, however, the Reds began to carry more of a threat and Pereira was unlucky not to extend the lead ten minutes from time when a fine run ended with the young Brazilian hitting his shot against the post.  The miss appeared crucial when the home side's two substitutes linked up to level the scores, the lively Edwards getting behind the United defence and crossing for Pritchard to score from close range.

With the game on a knife-edge, Edwards and Sterling both had good chances to snatch a winner for Tottenham before United gave the game its incredible last minute twist.  Pereira took a clever free kick from the right, playing the ball back to McNair to shoot from the edge of the box.  His shot was saved by McGee but the ball rebounded back to Varela, who got so much power into his effort that the Spurs keeper had no chance this time.

It was a fitting way for the young Reds to secure another title.  All season they've shown the spirit of United the senior team have too often lacked and that winning goal, and the timing of it, had Manchester United written all over it.

Under 21s: United 1 Middlesbrough 0

This narrow win was enough for United's Under 21s to take a giant stride towards retaining their title.  With Sunderland losing their final game of the campaign at Spurs on the same night, the Reds need to pick up only two points from their remaining three matches.

United dominated possession but found Middlesbrough stubborn opponents. Despite a strong side that included Wayne Rooney making his comeback from injury, the best the Reds could manage in the first half was a shot from James Weir that goalkeeper Fryer did well to to parry.

Weir, so often the man this season to make the difference in tight games, was forced off at half-time through injury.  Rooney followed him on the hour, making way for the highly promising Axel Tuanzebe, making his own comeback from injury after three months on the sidelines.

The reshuffle these changes necessitated seemed to make a difference as Pereira, himself coming on for the injured Joe Rothwell, found space on the right to deliver a cross that was controlled and smashed into the net by Paddy McNair.

Although Boro showed more adventure in the later stages, it was a deserved victory for the Reds who finish the campaign unbeaten at home.  They now face the final three away fixtures knowing that victory at Spurs next Monday will bring a third league title in four years while even a draw with leave the Reds top with a 6+ goal difference going into the final two games.

Under 21s: United 1 Chelsea 1

More than 9000 fans saw the young Reds come from behind to secure a hard-fought point against a good Chelsea side.   Although this will go down as two points dropped in the pursuit of the Under 21 Premier League title, United's youngsters showed impressive spirit in their second half fightback.

Although United started strongly, Chelsea took the lead through an excellent free kick from Palmer after McNair had fouled Quintero on the edge of the area and from there the visitors took control of the first half.  They spurned frequent chances to add to their lead and, had they done so, the young Reds may well have found themselves with a huge mountain to climb.

Part of the problem concerned the number of players operating out of their familiar positions.  Lacking a genuine striker Ashley Young, making his way back from injury, operated in the long forward role, while the makeshift central midfield of McNair and Love consisted of two players far more comfortable playing in defence.

However, the tide began to turn in the second half and, just after the hour mark, United's increasing pressure paid off.  Varela, playing in an advanced role on the right, was getting forward with more purpose and it was his ball into the box that allowed James Weir to get a shot in on goal that took a deflection as it squirm just inside the far post.

From there, the Reds looked the more likely side to win the game but the second goal never came and United finding themselves still needing eight points from their remaining four game to make sure of the title.  With a testing away game at Chelsea still to come, this draw leaves the two-way battle with Sunderland at the top of the league still too close to call. 

U21s: Liverpool 1 United 1

The Under 21s showed plenty of the spirit lacking in the senior team the previous evening when they came from behind to grab an important point at Liverpool.

United made a bright start and Januzaj came close to opening the scoring for the Reds in the twelfth minute when his shot hit the post after rebounding back to him from his free kick.  Liverpool came into the game more as the first half went on, Ojo coming closest for the home team when his shot went just wide of the post, but the Reds looked tight at the back and kept chances to a minimum, with McNair and Williams looking a solid partnership in central defence.

It was a surprise, then, that a mistake from the normally dependable Williams led to Liverpool taking the lead early in the second half.  His attempted clearance led to the ball finding Sinclair, who finished calmly.  The game began to open up as the second half went on and United capitalised to equalise with eighteen minutes left: sustained pressure around the Liverpool area ended with James Weir applying the decisive touch to El Fitouri's ball across the goal.

Weir then came close to giving United the lead, his shot following a surging run through the middle drawing a fine save from the home keeper.  At the other end, Pereira made a couple of important saves as both sides pushed for a winner.

Ultimately, however, the Reds were forced to settle for a draw, which leaves United top of the league on goal difference with a game in hand.

U21s: Middlesbrough 1 United 2

It wasn't one of their best displays of the season, but United did just enough to come from behind and beat a Middlesbrough side who looked tricky opponents before going down to ten men in the second half.

United ought to have been in front in the third minute when a fine move was finished off by Joe Rothwell: inexplicably, the linesman flagged for offside and the goal was ruled out even though the Reds midfielder was clearly a good yard or two onside. After that, although Rothwell went close with an ambitious volley and Andreas Pereira drew a fine save from Fryer, United found a well-organised Borough side difficult to break down.  

It was Middlesbrough who started the second half strongest and Joel Pereira had already seen a lot of action when Cooke pounced to score after following up on a parry from the Reds keeper.

United rarely looked like getting back on terms until their first penetrative move of the half brought a result in the seventieth minute.  Weir (above) was brought down by Burn when through on goal and the referee pointed to the penalty spot and showed the Borough player a red card. Pereira wasn't in a mood to look a gift horse in the mouth and he duly rifled home from the spot to bring the Reds level.

United began to make the extra man count and, when Rothwell's slide rule pass found Weir on the left, his teasing cross was turned into his own net by McGinlay.  

With Sunderland losing 1-0 to Leicester, this win could prove crucial in determining the destination of the Under 21 Premier League title.  United now stand two points clear with a game in hand.

U21s: city 1 United 0

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.

U21s:United 1 Reading 0

Not for the first time this season, a win for the Under 21s helped ease some of the grimness of a bad weekend for Reds fans.  A third win in eight days was secured thanks to a disciplined performance and an own goal.

In a scrappy first half, Reading had the best of the chances, going closest when Novakovich's shot struck the post.  United's best chance came when a shot from Willock (right) from outside the area stung the hands of Hearne.

Willock tested the keeper again in the early stages of the second half, Moore doing well to turn away his looping shot on the half-volley.  It offered a sign of a more dangerous Reds effort after the break and they duly took the lead when Riley's cross found Weir in the box.  His effort hit the post but the rebound caught the leg of defender Long and cannoned into the net. 

United looked much the better side for the remainder of the game, Weir a constant threat going forward and Riley offering surging runs up the left.  A stout performance from a makeshift Reds defence and some solid handling from Pereira in goal kept Reading chances to a minimum.  With Sunderland also winning tonight, United remain top by two points with a game in hand.

U21s: United 1 city 0

A crowd of more than 5500 at Leigh Sports Village saw United win a close game against their city rivals and move to the top of the Premier Under 2 League.
After the 7-0 hammering of Norwich on Monday night, this was always likely to be a sterner challenge for a less experienced United side and so it proved, but a disciplined and well-organised performance was enough to see the game out after Joe Rothwell gave the Reds the lead early in the game.

After a competitive start with little between the sides, United made the most of a rare clear-cut chance to take the lead after 15 minutes.  Fosu-Mensah played a long ball from right back for Keane to run onto.  The forward, who netted five times against Norwich, turned provider on this occasion, holding the ball up before picking out Rothwell (above), who finished whose low shot gave city keeper Gunn no chance.

With little room in midfield, chances continued to be at a premium in the first half, although Pereira was forced to tip over a header from a corner and Josh Harrop's free kick drew a fine save from Gunn later in the half.  

City began to look more threatening in the second half, although it said much about the quality of United's defending that Pereira still remained largely a spectator for much of the half.  He had to be on his toes to deal with a dangerous cross from Garcia in the closing minutes and, in stoppage time, made a superb reflex save from the same player, who had carried the visitors' main threat all night and had just seen a shot blocked by Regan Poole, making his first start in a United shirt following his arrival from Newport.

The Reds now lead the table by two points with a game in hand and how face Reading, also at Leigh, on Monday night.




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U21s: United 7 Norwich 0

Louis Van Gaal and Ryan Giggs were both at Old Trafford to see a rampant United Under-21 team beat Norwich.  They'll surely have been impressed with a brilliant performance from the Reds youngsters, which included five goals from Will Keane, though they'll have been concerned to see both Januzaj and Varela limp off with first half injuries.

With both Memphis Depay and Phil Jones in the starting line-up, United made a lively start and it didn't take long before they took the lead, Keane hammering home in the area after a cut-back from Pereira.  Keane added a second in the first half when a superb run down the left from Memphis finished with the forward scoring from a simple tap-in.

Memphis was again the supplier when he secured his hat-trick just after half-time, exploiting an error in the Norwich defence before Keane scored with an even easier tap-in.  Pereira scored the fourth from the penalty spot following a handball in the area. Keane then grabbed his fourth and United's fifth in glorious style, beating two defenders before cheekily lobbing the keeper.

Substitute Fosu-Mensah scored the sixth, overlapping from the left-back position to leave the shattered opposition defence floundering before sliding his shot under the keeper.  Keane still hadn't finished, though, seizing on a James Weir pass to stroke calmly home for the Reds' seventh.  

Even by the Under 21s' standards, this was a sublime performance, against a side that had inflicted a rare defeat on the Reds at Carrow Road earlier in the season.  United continue the defence of their title when they host Manchester city at Leigh on Thursday.  

Under 21s: Everton 2 United 0

The Reds' winning run in the Under 21 Premier League came to a disappointing

Ex-Red Sam Byrne helped Everton to their win

halt at Everton's training complex.  Everton dealt far better with the windy conditions and ran out deserved winners.

Holgate gave the home side the lead after 32 minutes when he got on the end of Dowell's cross.  Although United threatened to equalise through efforts from Riley and Redmond, Everton defended their lead well and might have extended their lead when former United player Sam Byrne (right) tested Pereira in the Reds goal with a rasping shot.

It was Byrne who provided the cross for Dyson to head home and secure a win for the Blues with ten minutes left.

It was a rare setback for United in their pursuit of Sunderland at the top of the league and they'll be looking to put things back on track when they face Norwich at Old Trafford next Monday.

Warren Joyce: Keeping the Red Flag Flying in Style

It's great watching a United side playing with such fluency and creativity, a side so clearly enjoying its football with a constant emphasis on going forward with relentless attacking flair.

No, I've not finally lost it.  I speak of course of Manchester United Under-21s, a group of footballers playing with a style that does justice to the shirts they wear.  Their victory over Sunderland on Monday night was their sixth on the run and, although this time it came courtesy of a single James Weir goal, the style was very much in the spirit of a series of five games that had seen them score a total of 19 goals.  

The Reds now find themselves only three points behind runaway leaders Sunderland, who at one stage looked set to have the league title sealed by now.  Crucially, United also have three games in hand and now look well placed to retain the trophy they secured last season.

The big mystery is why a side that plays in precisely the same formation as the senior eleven has managed to avoid the tactical straight jacket that has made the first team so dour, predictable, easy to play against and excruciatingly dull to watch.  Perhaps it's the lack of pressure at this level.   But perhaps it's more than that.  

Throughout the last few seasons, with the first team going through such a painful transition, their younger colleagues have rarely dipped under the management of Warren Joyce, a true unsung hero at United.  If his team go on to lift the trophy this season, that will mean we'll have been champions in three of the four seasons since the competition was re-vamped.  We won two of the last three of the old Premier Reserve League competitions too, meaning victory this season will see his side crowned champions at this level for five of the previous seven campaigns.  It's quite a record, especially when the nature of the role means he constantly has to deal with a fluctuating squad, with players often sent out on loan or enjoying a temporary run with the seniors.  To keep a consistent run going in that situation requires genuine managerial skills.

So am I suggesting Joyce as a serious replacement for Van Gaal?  Probably not, but I bet I'm not the only one at Leigh Sports village this season to have allowed the thought to cross my mind.