Manchester United’s under-18 side kicked off the season in style at the weekend with Ethan Williams playing a starring role.
After a busy pre-season playing in youth tournaments and training with the first team, Manchester United’s under-18s began their league campaign at the weekend.
The Saturday kick-off saw United travel to Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park, for a potentially awkward encounter in the pouring rain.
United’s young team made light work of it, winning 4-0, with all four goals coming in the first half.
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Ethan Williams stars
Young winger Ethan Williams was the star of Manchester United’s under-18 campaign last season and he was the man of the match in the opener.
Williams won a penalty early on when he was brought down inside the box, with James Nolan scoring the spot-kick decisively to put United 1-0 up after just four minutes.
This was the first of four goals Williams would play a part in. Minutes later his corner drifted all the way to the back post, for defender Reece Munro to score his first ever goal at under-18s level.
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The best was yet to come, with an excellent team goal finished by Williams to put United 3-0 up. A swift counter attack saw James Scanlon play in Jack Moorhouse, who laid the ball off for Williams to fire into the top corner.
Williams added his second assist at the end of the half, with another corner headed in decisively by FA Youth Cup winning centre-back Louis Jackson.
He was substituted on 73 minutes with the game already won, with United taking it a little easier in the second half.
Line-up and substitutes
This is how Manchester United’s under-18s lined up for the fixture.
XI: Myles, Ogunneye, Munro, Jackson, Nolan, Fitzgerald, McAllister, Scanlon, Moorhouse, Williams, Musa
Substitutes: Harrison, Kamason, Devaney, Missin, Biancheri
The under-18s are next in action on August 26th away at Stoke City.