Confirmed: FA Youth Cup date v Chelsea
Manchester United’s FA Youth Cup fifth-round tie with Chelsea will be played on Wednesday 12 February (19:00 GMT) at Leigh Sports Village.
The young Reds reached this stage with convincing victories over Coventry City (5-0) and Preston North End (4-2) at home.
Tickets will be available soon from the LSV website.
United have won the competition more than any other club, with our success in the Youth Cup signalling the start of a special career for one, two or even sometimes an entire classful of young Reds.
While we won the first five editions of the Youth Cup from 1953 through 1957, the most recent of our 11 victories came in May 2022, when a team featuring Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo triumphed 3-1 over Nottingham Forest in front of a 67,000-strong Old Trafford crowd.
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Fifth-round opponents Chelsea are the competition’s next most successful club, with nine titles of their own. Their latest crown was won in 2018 and they have not reached the final since a 2020 defeat to Manchester City.
The Blues always have a very strong team and won the U18 Premier League’s southern division last season. That set up a national final against United — we won the northern division — at Stamford Bridge last May, when Adam Lawrence’s side were winners in a tight game.
Chelsea beat non-league side Merstham 7-1 in their fourth round outing, having come from behind to defeat Leicester City, late on at the previous stage.
FA YOUTH CUP FORMAT
The FA Youth Cup mirrors the format of the FA Cup, the world’s longest-running national football competition, first played in the 1871/72 season. The Youth Cup began some time later in 1952, designed to encourage development of young players at clubs across the country.
Premier League and Championship sides join the competition at the third-round stage. The games are one-off occasions and, should the match be drawn after 90 minutes, an extra-time period of 30 minutes is played, with a penalty shootout following if necessary.
All players born on or after 1 September 2006 are eligible for selection in the FA Youth Cup, meaning players are 18 or under.
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WHO WILL THE WINNERS PLAY?
The winners of Manchester United v Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup fifth round will take on Arsenal, who defeated Fulham at the end of the January to secure their sixth-round spot.
FA YOUTH CUP FIFTH-ROUND TIES
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton v Plymouth Argyle
Manchester United v Chelsea
Norwich City 2 West Brom 4
Southampton v Derby County
Aston Villa v Bristol City
Fulham 1 Arsenal 2
Leeds United v Manchester City