Under-18s: Manchester United 6 Derby County 3
Manchester United's exciting Under-18s beat Derby County 6-3 in an open encounter at the Aon Training Complex.
Mason Greenwood and substitute Nishan Burkart both claimed doubles as a see-saw battle unfolded after the break, in particular, after the Reds led 2-0 at the interval.
Jimmy Garner opened the scoring in the 16th minute, spraying the ball out wide to Millen Baars on the right and arriving with perfect timing in the box to stretch to prod home when the Dutchman's shot deflected to him.
Jayden Mitchell-Lawson had already hit a post with a rasping drive and Derby had their fair share of chances with Alex Fojticek kept busy. Baars and Brandon Williams also had chances for the hosts before Mason Greenwood turned superbly in the box to fire goalwards, with the ball ricocheting off keeper Matthew Yates and over the line.
In the second half, things really livened up when Burkart replaced the injured Baars as the wiss striker took only three minutes to tap in after Largie Ramazani ran onto a Greenwood pass and forced a save out of Yates. Greenwood carved out opportunities for Ramazani and Garner that almost produced a fourth goal but, instead, the Rams pulled one back.
Top scorer Jason Knight chested the ball down and rifled a low drive beyond Fojticek, only for United to respond two minutes later, as Arnau Puigmal fed Burkart and Callum Minkley put through his own net when Yates blocked the shot.
In the 74th minute, Puigmal's beautiful return pass allowed Greenwood to plunder his second from a tight angle to make it 5-1. It looked a case of game-over, only for Proctor to latch onto Ethan Galbraith's scuffed clearance to find the net and Ayomide Jibodu profited when Fojticek palmed a cross into his path to further reduce the deficit.
Derby made life uncomfortable but were undone again at the death when Burkart raced through, showed his strength and calmly lofted his finish over Yates for number six.
United: Fojticek; Tanner, O'Connor (Bernard 67), Dunne, Williams; Garner (Galbraith 67), Levitt; Ramazani, Puigmal, Baars (Burkart 57); Greenwood. Subs not used: Thompson, Mellor.