FA Youth Cup - Manchester United vs Leeds

top1whoisman

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Old Trafford
Wednesday 5 February
19:00 GMT
Live on MUTV 18:30 GMT

United
Results: 2-0 vs Lincoln (H), 2-0 vs Norwich (A)
Goals: Hoogewerf 2, McCann 1, Mengi 1

Leeds
Results: 3-1 vs Hull (H), 2-2 (5-4 on penalties) vs Sheffield Wednesday (H)
Goals: Cresswell 2, Shergill 1, Jenkins 1
 

top1whoisman

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Nicky Butt, Manchester United's head of first-team development, is hoping for a good-sized crowd at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, when Leeds United provide the opposition in the FA Youth Cup.

All tickets - which must be collected in advance from the ticket office at Old Trafford - are free and our visitors from West Yorkshire are believed to be bringing around 1,500 away supporters across the Pennines for the fifth-round tie, which kicks off at 19:00 GMT.

With the eagerly awaited encounter also being shown live on MUTV, Treble-winner Butt is looking for the club's Academy youngsters to embrace what promises to be a special occasion.

“There’s been great rivalry with Leeds in the past but it hasn't existed in recent years with the two teams [in different divisions],” Butt told us.

“Back in my era, and for most fans of my age, there’s a real rivalry so it’s a great game to have. And we’re massive on the FA Youth Cup as a club, as we have been for many years.

“We’re very good at developing players and not putting too much pressure on the Under-18s at league level. We let them develop and allow the coaches to use different techniques and different coaching directions.

“When it comes to the FA Youth Cup, it’s time to put the lads on the pitch to go and show what they’ve got, and show a winning mentality under the floodlights at Old Trafford, and live on MUTV. It is when we have to put pressure on them. I can’t always say don’t worry about results, it’s part of development, we have to win at this club."

“There are games where you want to put a bit of pressure on to win, as well as development. Wednesday in the Youth Cup is definitely one of those."

“When it comes to the FA Youth Cup, it's very much my belief and all the coaches' belief, when we speak to the players, that this is not a Saturday game against just another team. It's the FA Youth Cup against Leeds at Old Trafford, when the spotlight is going to be on you and you're answerable to the coaches and the manager if you don't perform."

“You have to go out and do it because, unless we know you've got that in your system, we can't just say 'it's development and results don't matter' all the time."

“As soon as I stepped into the building at 13 years of age, I knew the importance of the FA Youth Cup.”

With Leeds likely to be backed by a vocal following, it will be a test of character for the Reds, although there is the hope the home supporters will also turn out in good numbers to support the possible stars of tomorrow.

“We do think it's important for the young lads to get a crowd there,” explained Butt. “Especially as a big stadium like Old Trafford can get echoey if there are a few hundred in there. It's important for them to get a feel of the pitch and see what it's like playing there but, with fans in, it really does help."

“With the Premier League break currently on, we hope some fans do turn out for us. It's Leeds so there might be a bit more focus for our fans, if you like, but whether there are 1,000, 10,000 or 50,000 here, you have to go and perform. They must go and play, take on those players and beat them in front of 10,000 or 25,000. They've got to go and do it.”
 
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top1whoisman

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Manchester United face Leeds United in the FA Youth Cup fifth round at Old Trafford on Wednesday night (19:00 GMT kick-off), with free tickets available for all supporters.

It promises to be another exciting tie for the young Reds, who reached this stage of the prestigious competition by beating Lincoln City at Leigh Sports Village and then Norwich City away at Carrow Road, with 2-0 scorelines on both occasions.

The game will be shown live on MUTV but fans who want to attend in person at Old Trafford and get behind our youth team can do so for free.

To select particular seats, you can pre-book online at manutd.com/tickets and then collect from Ticketing & Membership Services at OId Trafford ahead of kick-off. Alternatively, you can turn up at the same place and obtain whatever tickets are available on the night. Entry at the turnstiles is by ticket only.

The Reds warmed up for the Leeds tie, a repeat of the 1992/93 final in this competition, with Saturday's 1-0 victory at Blackburn Rovers in the Under-18 Premier League North.

Max Haygarth made his return in that game and Spanish forward Mateo Mejia is also fit again after his injury lay-off, so there will hopefully be plenty of options available to lead coach Neil Ryan.

“It's a cup tournament and a great leveller,” said Ryan. “We've seen some Youth Cup fixtures where strong teams have been knocked out early. Tottenham beat Liverpool but lost to Wigan, and so on, and it's always a difficult challenge for the boys - especially when they are deemed favourites."

“At youth-development level, things are not always as apparent as at first-team level, there could be physical problems when you're up against big, strong lads and also maturity issues."

“It is all part and parcel of player development.”

The tie must be decided on the night, by extra-time and penalties if necessary, with the victors going through to host Wigan Athletic or Birmingham City in the quarter-finals.

The Reds are bidding to win a record 11th FA Youth Cup and to lift it for the first time since 2011, when Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard were in the triumphant team and Harry Maguire played for the runners-up Sheffield United.
 
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roonster09

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top1whoisman said:
Mejia has a chance as he played for the U16s last weekend, Emeran is still injured as far as I know.
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Thanks.

Yeah I read Mejia is back and played few games, was wondering if he is fit enough to play games like this.
 

top1whoisman

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Class of 63 said:
Not sure what's happened there but it's just come on, anyhow here's their team, not too many familiar names, not to me anyway.

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Nohan Kenneh I think is the standout one, England youth international who can play CB as well as in midfield.
 

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top1whoisman said:
Nohan Kenneh I think is the standout one, England youth international who can play CB as well as in midfield.
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I don't follow International youth football as much as I used to so thanks for that.

I know times are different but I think the last time we played them in the FAYC was the year they dethroned the Class of 92 as holders when Howard Wilkinson was their first-team Manager, and most of the Leeds United team in the FAYC Final team that beat United had already played for their first-team that, or the previous season, and it showed in the Final.
 

top1whoisman

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Robbo* said:
Any idea what team will be?
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Against Norwich in the last round the lineup was:

Mastny
Bejger Mengi Fish Devine
Helm McCann
Wellens Mejbri Shoretire
Hoogewerf

Subs on: Forson, Svidersky, Sotona​

Don’t think we’ll see that many changes. The overall performance was much better than vs Lincoln in the previous round, with better finishing from Hoogewerf it would’ve been 5 or 6 nil. Max Haygarth might play, perhaps Sotona will replace Wellens, but I don’t think we’ll see many of the younger ones in the squad. Mejia etc., their time will come.
 

top1whoisman

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Hockenhull comes in to replace Fish, otherwise an unchanged side from the Norwich match.
 

Adamsk7

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Doesn’t Mejbri play with the U21’s already? Or are we just playing him as a ringer in this? Haha
 

top1whoisman

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Adamsk7 said:
Doesn’t Mejbri play with the U21’s already? Or are we just playing him as a ringer in this? Haha
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He does but United quite often uses all eligible players, apart from the ones in the first team, in the youth cup and rightly so. It’s the biggest youth competition (for English clubs) apart from the UEFA Youth League and we want to go far in it. And it’s good for a player’s development, a few thousand fans at Old Trafford in a knockout game, don’t get many of those under the first team level.
 
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roonster09

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Mejbri is already fouled 4 or 5 times in 11 mins
 

Sea-Cow

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top1whoisman said:
Yeah, targeting him all the time. Will be important to keep a cool head tonight.
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Is it because he is simply too good for them? Or is he already known as someone who might react, so they try to wind him up?

Or is it simply the fact that its Leeds v. United and he's a skinny lad with unique hair?
 

top1whoisman

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Sea-Cow said:
Is it because he is simply too good for them? Or is he already known as someone who might react, so they try to wind him up?

Or is it simply the fact that its Leeds v. United and he's a skinny lad with unique hair?
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I’d say your first and third guesses are correct. Not so much the second as he gets kicked a lot but seems to keep his head well. But yeah of course they’re looking to get a reaction from him, too.
 

roonster09

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That's what 7 or 8 fouls on him already?
 
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