Man City player ratings: Under-18s beat Leeds 4-0 to win FA Youth Cup final

Manchester City’s Under-18s won the 2024 FA Youth Cup final on Friday night, thanks to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Leeds United .

After a slightly frustrating first half, City’s quality showed in the second period at the Etihad as Justin Oboavwoduo, Jaden Heskey, Stephen Mfuni and Matty Warhurst found the back of the net to secure a fourth Youth Cup triumph in the club’s history.

The players couldn’t have asked for better playing conditions on a warm evening in Manchester - that both goalkeepers wore short-sleeved shirts told its own story.

This is the biggest game most of these juvenile players have been involved in, and for some it could be the pinnacle of their careers. The significance of the occasion was underlined by two vocal sets of supporters inside the Etihad, with just shy of 20,000 tickets sold by both clubs. A rendition of the national anthem was played pre-match, the only time all fans sang in unison, other than a course of ‘if you have Man U stand up’ during the first half.

When the action got going it was City who settled into their groove quickest and created good openings in the wide areas, particularly from Joel Ndala on the left. He saw the game’s first real chance crash off the side netting after driving inside and shooting at goal, while he also tested Leeds keeper Rory Mahady with a low cross into the box.

There are undeniable similarities between Ben Wilkinson’s precocious youngsters and Pep Guardiola’s senior side. Centre-back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey drove into midfield with the ball, Charlie Gray tried to dictate the pace of proceedings from the base of midfield, while City also built attacks with long balls into their wide attackers.

The hosts pushed for an opener with greater intensity in the final five minutes of the opening half, and were nearly rewarded when Jayden Heskey’s header flashed just over from a Farid Alfa-Ruprecht cross.

The latter then saw an effort blocked en route to goal by Leeds skipper Daniel Toulson, before Heskey’s awkward attempt failed to hit the target. Matty Henderson-Hall produced the final chance of the first half when his strike from the edge of the box deflected wide, as City frustratingly went in level at the break.

But it took less than two minutes after the restart for the Blues to take the lead as Oboavwoduo broke into the Leeds box and fired at goal. The initial effort was saved by Mahady, but the City midfielder managed to bumble the ball over the line as Joe Richards tried and failed to clear it in time.

And they doubled that advantage soon after with the sort of move that regular attendees at the Etihad are used to. Centre-back Kian Noble picked out Alfa-Ruprecht with a defence splitting pass, and the winger centred the ball for Heskey to simply tap home from a few yards out.

Leeds had been tough to break down in the opening 45, but lost their composure in the second period, as City enjoyed greater time on the ball and space to attack into. It was no surprise when the third did come as Mfuni headed in at the back post from a Noble header, although the initial effort did appear to be on target.

City didn’t care at this stage, although True Grant had to be on hand to keep out a Connor Douglas header in the 75th minute, Leeds’ best scoring opportunity of the game.

By the end it was a precession, substitute Warhurst picked up the ball midway inside the opposition half and motored through the Leeds centre, before he unleashed a low shot into the bottom corner with his left foot.

It was the final piece of major action on a night when these City youngsters wrote their names into the history books and ensured it won’t be a trophy-less campaign for the Under-18 side.

Man City player ratings: Grant 6; Henderson-Hall 7, Noble 8, Simpson-Pusey 7, Mfuni 8 (Naylor 85); Gray 6, Oboavwoduo 7 (Warhusrt 73;8), Musaka 7 (Okeke 73;6); Alfa- Rupherecht 8, Heskey 7, Ndala 8.