Man City player ratings v Feyenoord: Under-19s record resounding 6-1 Uefa Youth League win

Manchester City’s Under-19s strengthened their chances of gaining automatic qualification in the Uefa Youth League with an impressive 6-1 win over Feyenoord on Tuesday.

The convincing victory leaves City in sixth in the 36-team league, a position from which they would be seeded for the knockout stages. It was a confident and clinical display from Ben Wilkinson’s youngsters at the Academy Stadium - only Inter Milan have now scored more in this season’s competition.

However, City could - and should - have been behind after just 20 seconds when Aymen Sliti evaded the offside trap and was played through on goal. However, the winger fired his shot high and wide.

Missing big chances was a recurring theme for Feyenoord in the opening exchanges. Kelvin Neijenhuis remarkably placed an effort wide from just a few yards out in the 14th minute after some impressive work from Sliti down the right.

By that stage City had already taken the lead via Reigan Heskey. Justin Oboavwoduo created the opening with a mazy run through the middle and, after a quick one-two with Jaden Heskey, laid the ball off to Farid Alfa-Ruprecht on the right. His shot reverberated off the post and fell kindly for the younger Heskey sibling to tap in.

Alfa-Ruprecht proved to be a real handful in the wide areas. He tested Feyenoord keeper Tim Haksteeg with a powerful effort, before doubling City’s lead in the 37th minute. If the winger goes onto have a rich and high-level career, he’ll score few better than that as he connected expertly with Oboavwoduo’s cross and volleyed low into the bottom corner.

Reigan Heskey nearly made it 3-0 before the break - a scoreline which would have flattered City at that stage - but saw the shot clawed over by Haksteeg. The young keeper was also on hand after the break to deny Matty Warhurst from close range.

But Feyenoord managed to pull one back in the 55th minute. Matthew Henderson-Hall’s ill-advised challenge on Tobias van den Elshout inside the box gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot, and Neijenhuis atoned for his earlier error by converting from the spot.

Any hopes of a comeback were quickly killed off by a quickfire double from Ryan McAidoo. He was introduced off the bench in the 70th minute and by the 72nd had scored twice. The first came after Oboavwoduo played an inch-perfect pass for the forward to finish, which he duly did with a powerful strike.

Moments later, it was 4-1 when again Oboavwoduo set up the chance. This time he blocked Haksteeg clearance and the ball rolled perfectly for McAidoo to tap into an empty goal.

City weren’t done, there were two more goals late on. Reigan Heskey, a menace all afternoon, got it started when he cut inside, fired at goal and saw his strike deflect in off Feyenoord defender Twan Schens. Charlie Gray was then clipped in the box, and won a soft penalty. McAidoo fired in the spot-kick to make it 6-1 and wrap up a 20-minute hat-trick.

It means City’s place in the knockout stages looks secure - but securing a top-six finish will be decided in two weeks’ time when City travel to Juventus.

Player ratings

Whatmuff- 6; Henderson-Hall- 5 (Noble 83), Samuel- 6, Mfuni- 8, Braithwaite- 7; Gray- 6, J.Heskey- 7 (Mukasa 83), Oboavwoduo- 9 (Feuba 90); Alfa-Ruprecht- 8, Warhurst- 6 (McAidoo- 9;70), R. Heskey-9 (Batty 90).