Manchester United’s under-18s side were defeated by Blackburn on Tuesday afternoon, but there was one bright spot.
Joe Hugill scored an impressive individual goal in the 4-1 loss, rounding the goalkeeper on a quick paced counter-attack to net an equaliser.
United’s team was threadbare with many of the FA Youth Cup stars away on international duty, and a poor second half saw the young Red Devils slip to defeat.
Tough first half of the season
Hugill was one of the discoveries of last season in United’s academy, scoring 16 goals in total, 10 for the under-23s and six for the under-18s.
But the last of these goals came in February 2021 after injury struck, and while he was keeping pace with fast-scoring Charlie McNeill at the time, his teammate pulled away and ended the season on 25 goals, albeit all for the under-18s.
After featuring for United’s first team in pre-season, Hugill struggled for the under-23s at the start of this season, failing to net in his first six league appearances, with his only goal coming in a EFL Trophy win over Bradford City.
A goal in the UEFA Youth League against Atalanta followed, and when he dropped down into the under-18s he bagged a hat-trick against Newcastle.
Then a problem occurred, when he went on a one week work experience loan to Football League side Forest Green Rovers and picked up an ankle injury at the start of November. This ruled him out for the remainder of 2021.
Hugill has rebounded from injury
With the ankle injury his second injury in a year, Hugill’s rise had been briefly interrupted. Now he is showing signs of getting back to his best.
He scored his first under-23s league goal of the season against Manchester City in January, but with D’Mani Mellor back from loan at Salford, United have chosen not to rush Hugill and he has been with the under-18s since.
Over the past few weeks Hugill has been a consistent scorer, now on nine under-23 goals for the season, behind only Manni Norkett (11) and Alejandro Garnacho (13).
Add in the under-23, EFL Trophy and Youth League goals and Hugill has 12 goals in 21 matches, not bad at all for the 18-year-old in a season which has had some tricky challenges.
In the under-18s league alone, Hugill has nine goals in seven games, including a recent brace against Liverpool, a side he loves to play against.
In seven under-23 and under-18 matches against Liverpool, Hugill boasts eight goals, an impressive statistic.
He is United’s secret weapon for the FA Youth Cup final, a tournament which has seen Garnacho and Charlie McNeill lead the line and score five goals each on the way to the final.
Hugill was on the bench for the semi-final and was there if United needed him. He could well become the hero for the final when it is played.
In the meantime, he just needs to carry on doing what he is doing and keep scoring. Seven of his 12 goals this season have come in 2022 since his injury and there could be a few more before the end of the campaign, with it very possible he could out-do his tally of 16 last season.
Garnacho has 15 goals and McNeill 13. Both now have an in-form Hugill hot on their tails.
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