Academy Briefing: Upcoming live fixtures
Fans can watch two Academy fixtures live on MUTV this week, and find out all the key information from the last seven days in our regular Briefing below…
WATCH U21s ON TUESDAY
MUTV subscribers can watch United U21s live against Altrincham in the National League Cup. Kick-off is at 19:30 GMT on Tuesday 19 November.
The home side’s Moss Lane ground has sold out for the occasion, with around 3,500 supporters expected, providing a fantastic experience for the young players.
EFL TROPHY DISAPPOINTMENT
The U21s finished third in Group F of the EFL Trophy after defeat at Huddersfield Town in the third and final group stage game.
The hosts needed to win to leapfrog United and advance to the competition’s next round, and, after taking a 2-1 lead on 66 minutes, capitalised on the young Reds’ eagerness to equalise in the final minutes to add two late goals.
United’s performances in the EFL Trophy have shown many impressive elements, particularly the youngsters’ ability to come from behind. Travis Binnion’s team mounted a three-goal second-half comeback at Barnsley and earned two points after a penalty shoot-out win against Doncaster Rovers, having levelled with nearly the last kick of the game.
FA YOUTH CUP DRAW
Our U18s will host Coventry City in the FA Youth Cup third round.
Adam Lawrence’s young Reds enjoyed a season of unprecedented success in 2023/24, lifting a trio of trophies come the campaign’s end, partly driven by disappointment in the Youth Cup, where they were defeated 2-0 away at Swindon Town in January's fourth round.
That loss inspired a determined run which led United to the northern and national league titles, and the U18 Premier League Cup.
This season has begun in similarly fruitful fashion for Lawrence’s group, with nine consecutive league victories and a dominant 11-2 aggregate triumph over Lithuanian youth champions FK Zalgiris in the UEFA Youth League.
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United are the most successful club in the FA Youth Cup, with 11 titles to our name. The most recent, in 2022, saw a record-shattering 67,492-strong crowd attend Old Trafford for a 3-1 final victory over Nottingham Forest.
Travis Binnion’s side included current first-team stars Alejandro Garnacho - scorer of two goals in the final - and Kobbie Mainoo. Dan Gore and Charlie McNeill from the team have also made senior debuts.
The FA Youth Cup mirrors the format of the senior competition, and all players born on or after 1 September 2006 are eligible for selection in the FA Youth Cup, meaning players are 18 or under.
YOUTH LEAGUE FIXTURE INFO
United’s UEFA Youth League second round first leg against AZ Alkmaar will be played on Tuesday 27 November, kicking off at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT). The game in the Netherlands cannot be shown live on MUTV as it clashes with UEFA Champions League fixtures, but fans can find updates and reaction on ManUtd.com and the United app.
Information on the home leg will be communicated as soon as possible.
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ALJOFREE'S FIRST SENIOR GOAL
Congratulations to Sonny Aljofree, who scored his first senior goal at the weekend, while on loan at League Two club Accrington Stanley. The 19-year-old defender turned a corner home cleverly at the near post.
Elsewhere on loan, Elyh Harrison kept goal for Chester in an FA Trophy defeat against Gainsborough Trinity and James Nolan started for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in victory over Alloa Athletic.
INTERNATIONALS
Congratulations to all Academy players who have represented their nations over the last week, particularly Zach Baumann (Ukraine U19s) and Jayden Ngwashi (England U17s), who made their debuts for their respective countries at those age levels.
COMING UP
As well as Tuesday’s U21s fixture at Altrincham (19:30 GMT), the U18s return to action post-international break with an U18 Premier League Cup tie at home to Leeds United on Saturday morning. Fans can watch the 11:00 GMT kick-off live on MUTV. The two sides faced earlier this month, with United finishing 8-0 winners.
MUTV INFO AT A GLANCE
Tuesday 19 November | Altrincham v UNITED U21s | 19:30 | Live on MUTV
Saturday 23 November | UNITED U18s v Leeds United | 11:00 | Live on MUTV
Tuesday 27 November | AZ Alkmaar v UNITED U19s | 16:00 | Not live on MUTV (Clash with Champions League fixture)
Friday 29 November | UNITED U21s v West Ham United | 19:00 | Not live on MUTV (Clash with Premier League fixture)
Saturday 30 November | Stoke City v United U18s | 11:00 | Live on MUTV
All times listed in GMT.