Man Utd youngster Bendito Mantato made his debut in the Premier League a few months ago, but has now suffered an injury.
09:38, 23 Mar 2026Updated 09:42, 23 Mar 2026
Bendito Mantato has picked up an injury. (Image: 2025 James Gill – Danehouse)
Manchester United youngster Bendito Mantato is set to miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury. Mantato suffered the issue after being introduced from the bench for the Under-21s against Chelsea at the start of the month.
The Manchester Evening News understands Mantato is wearing a protective boot and his season is considered to be over, which is a huge blow for the 18-year-old, who will miss out in the FA Youth Cup.
Mantato started against Peterborough, Derby County and Oxford United in the competition’s early rounds, but was forced to watch from the stands when the U18s beat Sunderland in the quarter-finals.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
The U18s face Crystal Palace in the Youth Cup semi-finals. If the youngsters progress, they could play Manchester City in a mini-Manchester derby final at the Etihad.
Mantato is one of the brightest talents in United’s academy. He formerly played at left-back in academy fixtures, but gradually progressed to play predominantly on the right wing, and his style has already led to comparisons with Bukayo Saka, who also started his career as a defender.
Last season, Ruben Amorim included Mantato in the senior matchday squad for home and away legs of the Europa League semi-finals against Athletic Bilbao. Mantato was subsequently included in the United States tour squad, and was handed his first-team debut against Wolves in December.
The academy graduate will target a return from injury in time to be involved in this summer’s pre-season tour squad, which will feature more young players than usual with the World Cup ongoing.
Mantato has represented England’s Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 teams in his career.
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney was left feeling short-changed after ignoring his own son’s advice in an effort to catch Kai in action
Wayne Rooney broke his own rule in an attempt to catch son Kai in action(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Wayne Rooney suffered disappointment watching Manchester United’s FA Youth Cup quarter-final win over Sunderland. That’s despite the fact he broke a ‘golden rule’ set in place with son Kai in order to get a potential peek at him in action.
The Old Trafford icon has supposedly promised his 16-year-old offspring he wouldn’t attend any more of his matches. Not due to any underlying tension or animosity, however, but because Rooney Sr is routinely swamped by fans.
United’s under-18s progressed to the semi-finals of the Youth Cup on Wednesday after beating Sunderland 3-2. Chido Obi, Noah Ajayi and Junior Brown provided the goals in a comeback win over the Black Cats.
However, Rooney will nevertheless have been left disappointed to see son Kai remain an unused substitute for the quarter-final clash. He will have been over the moon to see the next wave of United talent advance as they look to claim the crown for the first time since 2022, however.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Like any prospect, Kai would likely love to see his iconic dad attend as many matches as possible. However, Wayne’s wife, Coleen, previously revealed their son’s frustrations after seeing his dad’s attention stolen by others whenever he turned up for his matches.
“That’s the thing with kids I think, it’s hard to go on days out,” she said in 2024. “Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff because he used to get swarmed, and he couldn’t even watch the game.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
“How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son?’ Adults, it’s different, you could speak to them. So he (Kai) just said, ‘Oh, dad there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’ Which is sad, but it can’t be helped anyway.”
Despite not turning out for Darren Fletcher’s side in the quarters, Kai may get another shot in next month’s semi against Crystal Palace. United will take on the Eagles in the hopes of setting up an FA Youth Cup final against either Manchester City or Blackburn.
It’s not that Fletcher’s shy of promoting any especially young talents among his crops of future stars, either. That much is apparent after 15-year-old JJ Gabriel played a prominent starting role in the win over Sunderland.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Rooney Jr. has made six total appearances for United’s under-18 this season. He has scored a single goal (in a 5-0 rout of Middlesbrough back in August) and recorded one assist in that span, while his sole Youth Cup appearance came late in a win over Derby two months ago.
Kai is still aiming to revive the kind of form that once saw him grab 56 goals and 28 assists in a single season for United’s under-12s. However, he has time on his side, to say the least, as he looks to follow his father and forge his own path to success at United.
Man Utd U18s won 3-2 against Sunderland in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals and Noah Ajayi notched another goal.
21:08, 18 Mar 2026
Noah Ajayi opened the scoring for United.
Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Senne Lammens were three of the high-profile names in the Old Trafford directors’ box to watch the FA Youth Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
JJ Gabriel was the star on show. The youngster is the poster boy of the Class of ’26, but it was his teammate, Noah Ajayi, who opened the scoring with a fine long-range strike from distance.
All the talk around the academy has been about Gabriel this season, meaning Ajayi has probably gone under the radar. The winger has four goals in his last three league games and continued his red-hot form against Sunderland, impressively finding the bottom left corner after a winding run.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Ajayi celebrated with a knee slide and was joined by his peers. He still had plenty to do when he picked up the ball, and the accuracy of the strike beat the Sunderland goalkeeper.
The 17-year-old has delivered consistently strong performances for the U18s this season, and he possesses the physical attributes to make the next step. And Ajayi looks like an athlete, which bodes well for his future.
Although English football has evolved, meaning more technical players who do not physically stand out at an early stage are not lost in the system, it still helps to have those qualities in academies.
Chido Obi has benefited from his stature on his journey so far. The youngster was a doubt to face Sunderland in the Youth Cup quarter-finals, but recovered from a head injury in time to start.
It has been fascinating to follow Obi’s development this term. The young striker dropped down to U18 level for the first time in a year to play in the Youth Cup in January. The decision was made to drop Obi down to U18 level to enhance United’s chances of winning the Youth Cup again.
On paper, it looked like United had a favourite’s chance of winning the competition, with the likes of Gabriel, Obi and Ajayi at Darren Fletcher’s disposal. United had talent on the pitch and pedigree on the touchline, but Sunderland rose to the occasion at Old Trafford and went down fighting.
Ajayi’s goal was the difference at the break, but the U18s didn’t really get going, so it wasn’t a surprise to see Sunderland start the second half on the front foot and turn the game on its head.
Two goals in three minutes for the Mackems silenced Old Trafford and threatened to ruin the script; however, it didn’t take long for Obi to score his 15th goal of the campaign.
Obi may look back at the end of the season and think it was his luckiest goal. The 18-year-old awkwardly scuffed his first attempt when he was one-on-one, but managed to get another bite at the cherry.
Last season, United’s downfall in the Youth Cup was their reliance on Obi. They were knocked out of the competition in the semi-finals against Aston Villa when Obi had a night to forget.
The only way to win the Youth Cup is for every youngster to play their part, so there was further encouragement that Fletcher’s side could lift the trophy when Junior Brown made it 3-2.
Brown rifled a shot from close range into the roof of the net at the Stretford End, which was just his second goal of the season. For a moment, Fletcher looked delighted on the touchline before snapping back into action and passing on instructions for his team to see out the victory.
Gabriel had a chance to get on the scoresheet when he was played into the box after a wonderful pass by Ajayi, but he was denied by a decent save. Another encouraging sign was Gabriel’s attitude. He kept on running and tracking back on a night when he would have loved to score.
Carrick was asked about Gabriel in his pre-Aston Villa press conference, even though the youngster is not old enough to play in the Premier League this season. Carrick was complimentary about the youngster, but stressed the importance of patience and giving him time to develop.
Gabriel has already trained with the first team at Carrington on several occasions. “He’s done well as you’d expect, and it’s good to have the younger players come up with us,” Carrick added.
Ajayi is another member of United’s current Youth Cup team who has trained with the first team this season. The U18s are a talented crop, and have their eyes on the trophy after reaching the semi-finals.
Stephen Torpey has spoken out in an interview with external media after his appointment as Man Utd’s academy chief.
12:00, 17 Mar 2026Updated 12:09, 17 Mar 2026
Stephen Torpey began work at United in September.
When Sir Jim Ratcliffe singled out the Manchester United academy as having “slipped” with some of his customary direct feedback in October, he highlighted the appointment of Stephen Torpey as evidence of change.
Torpey is the latest Old Trafford recruit from the Manchester City blueprint Ratcliffe so admires, and that introduction from the United co-owner was pretty clear.
“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United,” Ratcliffe said. “You need the academy to be producing talent all the time. It helps you financially. That’s not a light switch. You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time.”
United’s first team will play just 40 games this season. An unusually sparse schedule at first team level has led to heightened interest in the club’s academy, as has the emergence of young talents like JJ Gabriel.
Torpey wants to develop some of the country’s best young players at Carrington. Gabriel, who has scored 23 goals in 25 appearances for the U18s this season, fits that billing.
The 15-year-old has starred in the youth set-up and has already trained with the first team on several occasions. Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada were involved in a meeting last summer to ensure Gabriel remained at Old Trafford.
“I’ve got to be careful that I don’t put unnecessary pressure on anyone from the academy,” Torpey said in response to a question about Gabriel. “I think it’s well documented with the number of players that are out there, and they’re performing really well, and they’re doing extremely well.
“I suppose when you look at those types of players, they give you these moments of magic and these bits that get you off your seat, and sometimes that’s a really good tackle, sometimes that’s a goal line clearance.
“The other times, it’s a great bit of skill on the edge of the box, like we saw last weekend when he wrapped it in the top corner. You see these things, but there’s a lot that can go on. We have some special talents right now in our groups, and JJ is one of those, for sure.”
Torpey wants United’s academy to be the best in the world and knows how crucial a clear plan will be. “There are things we can improve, they are areas where we can be better, but that’s evolution, that’s just common in every single organisation,” he said.
“We don’t want to be complacent. I don’t work like that. I’m always thinking about what’s next. It’s the same with some of the staff, really, when we do something good, it’s like great, what’s next?
“I want to help us be the greatest academy in the world and do it in a way that we can be proud of, which is with clear processes, a method about the way we do things, with the best people.”
Torpey continued: “I’m looking for players to do things that are above their year group. I’m not necessarily looking for consistency in youth, I think, because I need to see capability, and we also need to see mistakes, because they need to fail in order to be equipped upon arrival to the first team.
“So we are excited by a number of players, for sure, but I’m looking for those standout moments, and for the player you named [Gabriel], he’s showing those things, which is great.
“But we’ve also got to make sure he’s doing the responsible non-negotiable parts of the game as well, which is the other side of it. Is he tracking back? Is he working for the team? Is he making good decisions? He does make fantastic decisions a lot of the time.
“It’s not for us to create robots here, it’s for us to allow individuals to flourish the way they want to flourish and therefore express themselves in a way they want to express themselves.”
Torpey was reluctant to discuss individual players, but politely answered when asked whether he was excited about Gabriel. “We’re all excited. I think the whole club’s excited by the talent that we’re seeing right now, and we’ve got to handle it with care,” he said.
“It’s easier to spoil talent than it is to help it flourish.”
Torpey was born in Merseyside and came through Liverpool’s academy as a teenager. After retiring from playing, he pursued a coaching career and ended up at Manchester City, so he hasn’t taken an orthodox route to working for United.
Torpey “loves” his new job as head of United’s academy, though. “I’m really excited about coming into work every day. Being here is really inspiring for me. I feel really happy about it. I think that it’s the sort of pinnacle of youth football in terms of the role I’m currently holding, which is something I’ve worked a long, long time for.”
In June, the MEN were the first outlet to report that United were considering appointing Torpey to replace Nick Cox. A month earlier, United had announced that Cox was set to leave the academy after nine years of service to become Everton’s technical director, creating the vacancy at United.
Cox played a pivotal role in the United academy’s renaissance, securing top youth signings and overseeing an FA Youth Cup triumph in 2021/22, setting the bar for his successor.
Torpey joined from Brentford and officially started work in September. “The brief for me, so to speak, is just that we want to be the best, we want to be the greatest academy around, we want to be the greatest football club in the world. That’s not changed,” he explained.
“I think Manchester United can say over the years, certainly in the UK, that we’ve got the conveyor belt of talent, we’ve got the production line that would suggest we are up there with the greatest.
“And my remit is to make sure that we can all look in the mirror, hand on heart, and say that we feel we’re really challenging for that status. And my view really is that we’ve just got to think critically about what we do, we’ve got to innovate where we can, and we’ve got to do this with the best possible people.
“We’ve got some unbelievable people. You arrive to a real warm welcome with people who are good at what they do, experienced at what they do. But ultimately, there are things we can improve, there are areas where we can be better, but that’s evolution, that’s just common in every single organisation.”
Torpey was asked about Ratcliffe’s comment on the academy, suggesting the co-owner was referring to the facilities rather than the academy itself. “Ultimately, I think that was based on things like facilities,” he said. “You’re sitting in this beautiful [first-team] building right now, and it’s like decorating your home for me.
“You do one room, and maybe you feel like one of the other rooms does not feel the same as the rest of the house. We’ve got to do the academy and there’s a plan in place now for us to refurbish and regenerate.
“We need to do a lot of work around the academy facilities as well. So I think those kinds of comments are based around that because I think it’s clear that you could say that the academy building isn’t as advanced as where the first team is right now, but there’s a phase into that.”
Torpey said improving the academy’s facilities was the natural next step for him as the new academy boss. United spent £50million to refurbish the first-team building, and the club is planning to bring academy facilities in line with the ‘leading standards’ they have for the main facility.
There will be upheaval when the academy building is redeveloped, meaning the Under-21s and Under-18s will use the modular building, a two-storey block behind the main building. The women’s team used the same set-up during the £10m redevelopment of their facilities at Carrington.
The modular building is already equipped to house an elite team and staff, but it will be further developed for specific academy needs to ensure minimal disruption for the U21s and U18s.
Cooling expectations around Gabriel will be another challenge for Torpey. The youngster has a huge following on social media, and Bryan Mbeumo described him as “something special” during an interview on a YouTube channel last week.
“That’s the modern era,” said Torpey of dealing with the spotlight on young players. “I think at most clubs now there’s some kind of media coverage of the youth players. There’s also the fact that the boys who play now in the U18s have never known a life without social media.
“That’s not the world I grew up in when I was playing. We are currently looking at our comms strategy and what we should do, you know, to try to prevent certain things and also protect certain things. We’ve got young people who, because of society, are craving clicks and followers.
“We have to embrace that a little bit, it’s not necessarily something I’m comfortable with, but maybe we have to embrace that for the future, maybe create our own version of how we can give them that stimulus.”
Darren Fletcher returned to manage the U18s after serving as first-team caretaker, and Torpey has enjoyed working with him. “I’ve known Darren for years,” he explained. “I’ve known him through the family, working with the boys [Jack and Tyler Fletcher] previously.
“He’s always come across as a really amazing guy, a really clever guy, studious in terms of football, obviously passionate about football and Manchester United in particular. So, to arrive at the club with Darren here is quite warm for me, it’s familiar in terms of seeing Darren.
“He’s a leader, that’s the one thing I would say, he leads by example. He’s a real leader here at the club. He knows what it means to be at Manchester United. I think the boys look up to him.”
Carrick has shown support for the academy by attending the majority of youth matches since his appointment. The 44-year-old even made a 300-mile round trip to watch the U18s against Oxford recently.
“That says everything about him as an individual, but I also think it’s what Manchester United people do,” Torpey said of the interim first-team head coach. “It’s what they know about, it’s what they feel. It’s gone down extremely well. It’s not been done for a gimmick, it’s done because it’s genuine.”
Last month, academy staff held a meeting and the department heads were asked to share success stories from their teams. “Michael turned up, and he took it upon himself to come,” Torpey said.
The academy is being transformed, but the likes of Carrick and Fletcher will do their best to help retain traditional values. Torpey seems on board as the academy drives into the future.
Manchester United starlet JJ Gabriel appears to be destined for a great future, but only if he heeds the advice of those who came before him
JJ Gabriel playing for Manchester United Under-18s(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
JJ Gabriel already carries a great deal of pressure on his shoulders despite being just 15 years of age.
Luckily for him, the Manchester United wonderkid is at a club which has developed a plethora of other talents in the past, allowing them to go from academy prospects to genuine world beaters. Gabriel is currently one of the most exciting youngsters at Carrington, having been a revelation for the Under-18s this season despite his tender age.
He has even been called up to train with the first-team by Michael Carrick and his predecessor Ruben Amorim this season. However, the London-born forward will have to stay patient before earning his first minutes under Carrick, given he is ineligible to play Premier League or Premier League 2 football until next season.
And while there is no doubting his quality, there are certain traits Gabriel still needs to develop and rules he needs to adhere to in order to guarantee his inclusion in the first team, just as the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo did before him.
The Manchester Evening News now takes a look at some of the lessons some past United greats have shared, which will help the highly-rated teenager reach his true potential and enjoy a stellar career.
Roy Keane
Former United captain Roy Keane previously explained how a player, even one as gifted as Gabriel, cannot be labelled world class unless they manage to play at a consistently high level for many years. Keane lifted almost every trophy there was to win during his time as skipper and will know very well what it takes to be a world class player.
The pundit believes very few of his former team-mates managed to reach those heights due to a lack of consistency – a crucial lesson for Gabriel if he ever hopes to become a world class player himself.
The Irishman used his former team-mate Ryan Giggs as an example, saying: “If I look back now, you’d have to class Giggsy. I always class the world-class players as lads who were doing it for nine, 10, 11 [years] – obviously, Giggsy’s done it for a lot longer. To me, that’s the key to being a really good player: you’ve got to be consistent.”
Ryan Giggs
Giggs himself has explained what it takes to make it through the United academy and become a star previously, by recalling his own journey and mindset. The Welshman, who has more Premier League titles than any other player in history, came through the ranks with the famous Class of ‘92, who each went on to become important first-team players.
The winger revealed the key trait that made each of them successful was a fire in their belly to win and to constantly improve. He recalled how he and his young team-mates were so competitive on the training ground that they often played on the edge of what could be deemed acceptable.
“When I was growing up in the youth team literally I would do anything to win a five-a-side game, against my best friends in Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, we’d be kicking each other and if you lost it would be with you for the rest of the day and this is the day before the game, an eight-minute, nine-minute five-a-side game,” Giggs told beIN SPORTS.
“Whereas in my experience now you see players coming off and they’ve just lost a small-sided game and they’re laughing and joking and I’m like ‘you’ve just lost a game’. Even if it doesn’t mean anything, it’s that winning mentality and doing anything you can to win.
“My youth team coach, Eric Harrison, I can’t remember him giving free-kicks. He would just let you get on with it, you don’t want injuries but he wanted that will to win and he wanted that feeling you’d take into the Saturday. Maybe that’s taken away from the players a little bit now, but you have to find that winning mentality from within somehow. Sir Alex was the master of mind games and psychology.”
Gary Neville
Gary Neville has perhaps been the most outspoken about what it takes for an academy youngster to break into the first team at United. The former right-back even created a list of 14 key bits of advice for young players to adhere to, which used to hang in the academy changing room.
Neville’s list was made up of the following commandments:
1. Choose who you follow.
2. Give 100 per cent all the time. You have never arrived at Manchester United so you must maintain a high standard all the time, every day.
3. Always remember why you began to play football — you loved it for its own sake and not as a means to get money, fame, girls, cars etc.
4. Ownership and responsibility — take care of your own affairs thus learning to do things for yourself, and not relying on others to do things for you: bank accounts, passports and so on. Make your own decisions!
5. Analyse and assess your own performance — be your own coach.
6. Have a strong work ethic — work harder than anyone else and you’ll overtake players with far more talent than you have.
7. Give the profession all that you have got, and you’ll have no regrets.
8. You have to have character and personality to play for Manchester United which you can develop over time.
9. Be a risk taker because it is a different kind of leadership.
10. Success and failure are two sides of the same coin, and you have to deal emotionally with both experiences. Remember that if you win or lose you can still have that Chinese on a Saturday night — keep things in perspective.
11. Learn more about yourself and what works for you.
12. Don’t leave anything to chance.
13. There are different routes to reach the top and very few players go ‘route one’ — like Giggs or [Wayne] Rooney. The challenge for you is to find the right pathway because we’re all different.
14. The ability to deal/cope with injuries is vital and should be approached with a strong mentality. See injury as an opportunity to develop body strength, and ‘reset’ your mind (refresh) for the various challenges ahead.
Chido Obi suffered a head injury at the beginning of Man Utd U21s’ 2-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League 2.
21:10, 02 Mar 2026
Chido Obi was forced off due to a head injury.(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
Chido Obi was pictured by Manchester United’s photographer walking out at Leigh Sports Village to play for the Under-21s on Monday, but his face was buried into the turf around 90 seconds later.
The start of the match was marred by Obi suffering a head injury. The youngster pressed the Chelsea goalkeeper from kick-off, but the clearance struck his head, and he required attention from the medical staff.
Obi received medical attention for around five minutes and he was applauded by fans as he stood to his feet. Lawrence asked whether he was ok as he went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.
The Premier League and FA have rules on how to deal with head injuries, which outline clear ‘return to play’ guidelines for players who are suspected of having suffered a concussion. Those rules state that no player will be allowed to return to a competitive game for at least six days.
After that, players are allowed to progress by a step every 24 hours. The steps are: No physical activity, light aerobic exercise, sport specific exercise, non-contact training drills, full contact training, and then return to play (after an all-clear from the club’s medical officer).
Obi will be assessed in the coming days, and he may face a nervous wait to see whether he passes the concussion protocols in time to feature in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals on March 18.
The 18-year-old dropped down to play for the Under-18s in the Youth Cup, the pinnacle of academy football, in the fourth round of the competition. Obi scored the match-winner, and he was on the scoresheet again as the U18s won against Oxford City to reach the quarter-finals.
Obi has predominantly played U21 football this season. The decision to play him in the Youth Cup has enhanced the U18s’ chances of winning the competition, so it will be a huge blow if he’s facing a spell on the sidelines due to the head injury he suffered at Leigh Sports Village.
Michael Carrick attended alongside Steve Holland, Darren Fletcher and Jason Wilcox. Last month, Carrick was asked about his continued support for the youth system, and he recalled a memory of when a West Ham first-team coach travelled to watch him when he was a teenager in their academy.
Carrick added: “We want players to come through the system and try and get into the first-team, being around it. So, it’s important that me and the staff support that as much as we can.”
The 44-year-old has not attended academy games for good PR. Carrick genuinely cares about the youth system and has attended almost every U18/U21 fixture since his interim appointment.
Carrick’s presence at youth matches demonstrates there is a pathway to the first-team, although his attendance appeared to be used as extra motivation for Chelsea on Monday night.
When Chelsea captain Shim Mheuka opened the scoring, he celebrated by knee sliding in front of where Carrick was sitting. The youngster looked up to the stands as if to say, ‘are you not entertained?’
Leo Cardoso celebrated in the same corner when he extended Chelsea’s advantage to 2-0 before half-time. Chelsea’s team was full of talented players who have trained with their first-team at Cobham, and they were a cut above for most of the game, despite heading into the fixture two points behind United.
It was hard not to shake the feeling that Obi’s substitution had a huge bearing on the game. The youngster is the academy’s talisman, and Chelsea sensed an opportunity when he was forced off.
It was a shame that Obi was denied the opportunity to audition again in front of Carrick and his backroom staff. The Dane made seven appearances for the first-team last season, but he has only been included in a single matchday squad in the Premier League (Wolves on December 30) this term.
Carrick will have been made aware of Obi’s talent, though. The youngster enjoyed a freakish debut season at United after signing from Arsenal, and coaches believe the sky is the limit for him.
For now, Obi will have to be nursed back to full health after his head injury. It would be a huge blow for the U18s if he’s ruled out of the Youth Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford later this month.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Man Utd are into the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals and another goal from JJ Gabriel helped Darren Fletcher’s side to a 4-1 victory at Oxford.
20:04, 18 Feb 2026
Jim Thwaites’ set-pieces were a major weapon for United at Oxford
Once again, it was JJ Gabriel who stole the headlines for Manchester United. The 15-year-old’s smart turn and clever shot from 25 yards put Darren Fletcher’s side on track for the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals in front of the watching first-team head coach Michael Carrick.
Gabriel is proving to be a key figure in this run. He has now scored against Peterborough and Oxford to help United progress to the last eight of the competition and among teammates with much more experience and more physicality, he is proving to be the star of the show.
He cut a diminutive figure in an Oxfordshire downpour during the first half, but on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear from weeks of rain, and a surface that had to pass two pitch inspections at the weekend, he showed the class to rise above the conditions.
Try MEN Premium NOW for just £1
Gabriel wasn’t always in the game, playing just off Chibo Obi as a No.10 in a 4-2-3-1, but he drifted into space across the front line to try and make things happen and his skill in possession and ability to manipulate the ball made him a handful.
That class was on show when he collected the ball 25 yards from goal, threw a defender off the scent with a perfectly balanced feint and then sent his low shot skidding off the wet surface and through the gloves of a diving Harry Jones.
Although Gabriel got his goal, he wasn’t the star of the show on this occasion. Godwill Kukonki was excellent as a marauding left-back, and Obi eventually got his goal after the break, but midfielder Jim Thwaites showed his class in open play and from dead-ball situations.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Thwaites, 18, showed his set-piece prowess with a direct free-kick against Manchester City at the weekend. He pulled the strings from midfield at the Kassam Stadium, controlling the game for United, but they never looked more dangerous than when he was stood over a dead ball.
His first-half corners alone could have produced four or five goals. Albert Mills did power a header in from the first to open the scoring, but twice Kukonki went close from Thwaites’ out-swingers, as did Obi, while an in-swinger almost went straight in. Jones got a hand to it and then managed to pounce on the loose ball inside his six-yard box.
The midfielder wearing the No.8 and playing like one then showed he can deliver from all angles. A free-kick from the left created another chance late in the first half and one from the right after the break was again on the money, spreading more panic in the Oxford defence.
Thwaites captained United in that third-round win against Peterborough, but missed the fourth-round success against Derby County with an injury. United missed his controlling presence in a game that was far too open for Fletcher’s liking and went all the way to extra time.
He certainly put in a shift against Oxford. He left the pitch 15 minutes from the end with his white shorts caked in mud, after a second half that turned into more of a battle than expected after Josh Holton had cut the deficit to 3-1.
United were never really threatened, however, and they put the icing on the cake when substitute Noah Ajayi scored a superb individual goal in injury time. From here, they can expect the competition to provide more of a test, and Thwaites’s prowess to cause havoc from set-pieces could be a vital weapon.
He went on the first team’s post-season tour under Ruben Amorim in May 2025, but has yet to have any more first-team football. Carrick, who had made the three-hour journey to Oxford after training at Carrington earlier on Wednesday to be among the 3,500 in the crowd, will surely have been impressed by Thwaites. He knows a midfielder when he sees one.
And at a time when the game is being dominated by set-pieces, the teenager’s ability to land the ball on a dime almost every time will certainly mark him out now.
Kai Rooney could make the bench again when Man Utd’s U18s take on Oxford in the FA Youth Cup tonight.
06:00, 18 Feb 2026
Kai Rooney and Wayne Rooney.(Image: 2024 JMEnternational via Getty Images)
Chants of “Rooooney, Roooney, Roooney,” returned to Old Trafford in December. Kai Rooney made his competitive debut at Old Trafford, and his father proudly watched from the stands.
It was a full-circle moment as Wayne Rooney’s son played at the venue where he rose to become one of the world’s best players. The 40-year-old scored 253 goals for Manchester United, won five Premier League titles and the Champions League to cement himself in the club’s history books.
Kai Rooney will enjoy a brilliant career if he can achieve a fraction of what his father did. There could be added pressure in the future because of the name on his shirt, but right now, he is just a 16-year-old who is learning each week in the academy at Carrington.
Wayne Rooney tried to avoid attention when he arrived at Old Trafford to watch his son in the FA Youth Cup against Derby, but a hood did not succeed in disguising his identity from a few excited supporters outside the ground, who stopped him for photographs as he arrived.
Kai will naturally attract similar attention, but his father and mother have made a deliberate effort to protect him from any noise. They only wanted him to play football if he wished to.
His parents have done a good job of keeping him grounded. Kai Rooney has taken time to pose for photos with young fans, and he recently used shin pads gifted to him by a supporter during an academy game.
The youngster first had a ball at his feet at four years old, and he was picked up by United’s academy as a boy. Kai supports Everton, like his father, but he has admitted a “love” for United.
For a few years, Kai Rooney has been living like a professional with a view to achieving his dream of reaching United’s first-team. That has meant extra training sessions outside of Carrington and getting his diet right: pasta, chicken, salmon, rice, and oatmeal with honey and protein powder in the morning of a game.
Kai Rooney has attended Manchester Grammar School. He previously described himself as “mainly a striker who scores goals”, but coaches have recently switched him to the right wing.
In 2023, Kai Rooney was asked if his dad gives him advice and said: “It’s a lot about scoring goals because he was pretty good at scoring goals. So it’s mainly tips about that. He is preparing me to get into professional football with the right mentality. He’s helping me a lot.
“He watched the last game and he’s been looking at the fixtures. He says he’s pleased with them all. My dreams are to win the Premier League, Champions League and the World Cup.”
Speaking about his hopes for the future, he said: “Hopefully I will be playing in the Premier League for United, that’s where I see myself, but I’ve got to make it happen with the hard work.
“My dad helped me through some of the hard times and taught me a lot about the game. Even just being in the car listening to him as a manager talking to all the players, that has helped.”
Kai Rooney is left-footed and drifts in from the right wing after his position switch, and he’s been able to craft his finishing technique under the guidance of one of the best strikers the game has ever seen.
His father has spoken in a handful of interviews about the importance of Kai enjoying playing the sport, but the youngster is slowly approaching the age when football becomes professional.
The earliest age an academy player can sign a professional deal is 17. Kai Rooney recently called out a report that suggested he’d already been offered a pro deal worth £50,000 per year after a scholarship.
Kai Rooney made headlines when he played at Old Trafford in the Youth Cup. The youngster has only made three appearances in the league for the Under-18s this season, but he was given a cameo from off the bench.
He could make the bench again when the U18s play Oxford at the Kassam Stadium in the Youth Cup tonight, but that is not guaranteed, given the strength in Darren Fletcher’s squad.
Fletcher can call upon players who have plenty of Under-21 football experience in the competition, so Kai Rooney did well to make his debut in the Youth Cup just a month after turning 16.
If Kai Rooney isn’t involved much in the Youth Cup for the remainder of this season, the silver lining is that he will still be eligible for the competition for another two campaigns.
The youngster started in the Under-16 Manchester derby last weekend. Michael Carrick was there to watch his son, Jayce, play in the same game, and it’s heartwarming to see the two players on the same team.
If the U18s beat Oxford in the fifth round of the Youth Cup, they will play either Sunderland or Brighton at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals. If Kai Rooney is involved in that squad, provided the U18s progress, it’s a safe bet there will be further chants of “Rooooney, Roooney, Roooney,” from the stands.
Who knows? He could wear his father’s famous No.10 shirt for United in the Premier League one day.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Manchester United have plenty of focus on one priority in the summer transfer window but they can not forget another in the meantime
Manchester United’s decision makers Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada will be busy in the summer transfer window(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Manchester United’s summer transfer window is sure to be a busy one and already the cogs will be churning to ensure the Reds are stronger next season than they have been this. The priority for United has been obvious even before Casemiro decided he would be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season.
The midfield is in desperate need of a revamp after United spent the past two summers adding to both their defence and attack. Currently, only Kobbie Mainoo appears to be in a position to retain a spot in the midfield after the summer transfer window closes.
He has revitalised his United career since Michael Carrick took interim charge and could even make it to the World Cup when that seemed an impossible dream just a few months ago. Unfortunately for the Reds, defensive midfield is where the problem lies as Manuel Ugarte is not in a position to make the step up and there is also a lack of options on the market.
That is why a lot of energy is going into the midfield this summer but, arguably just as important, is ensuring one of United’s top talents, who could follow the Mainoo pathway into the first team, makes the right next step. Chido Obi has had an eventful start to life in Manchester.
Last season, the centre-forward was drafted in as a necessity with the Reds left without striker options going into the final stages of the campaign. Having impressed in the academy since his arrival from Arsenal, the decision was made to give the Dane a go.
Sadly for Obi, he was entering a team who were lacking in confidence and, as such, showcasing his best form was always going to be difficult. MEN Sport understands the consensus at the end of that season was the push into the first-team came too soon.
That is why this season, Obi has been allowed the time to develop in the academy away from the spotlight of the first-team. On Saturday, the 18-year-old was on top form as he scored in the Reds’ 3-1 win over Manchester City in the U18 Premier League.
United are very pleased with the progress Obi is making in their academy with yesterday’s goal his ninth of the campaign. They were particularly happy with his work out of possession against City as the teenager starts to develop his all-round game.
Obi has been playing most of his football in the Premier League 2 which is the development league for U21s but the magnitude of the City clash saw him drop down. The striker turns 19 in November so he is getting towards an age where senior football is needed if he is to make it at United.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
That is why this summer is crucial for the youngster. United must decide whether Obi is ready to be a permanent member of the first-team squad or whether he would be better suited for a loan spell.
Right now, another season in the academy feels like it could be a waste. He has the attributes to compete in senior football even if his first introduction to it came too soon.
United know a good loan move can set a player up to be influential for the first-team the following season. Amad is the prime example of this.
He flourished at Sunderland in the Championship and came back to United ready to compete in the Premier League. Amad has not looked back and has not dropped into the academy since.
If Obi could get a loan move at a similarly high standard, the teenager could be perfectly set for the first-team. Loans to the Championship have been the making of many players at Old Trafford and are often a sign the club thinks highly of you for the future.
Obi is the next one who deserves to follow that pathway so picking the right team for him in the summer is just as important as fixing the midfield because, when strikers come at a premium, having the chance to promote a goalscorer from within is priceless. That is reason enough to ensure his next step is perfect.
Man Utd U18s won 3-1 against Man City on Saturday, with JJ Gabriel, Chido Obi and Jim Thwaites getting on the scoresheet.
15:28, 14 Feb 2026
Obi forced a mistake for United’s opening goal.(Image: MUTV)
Darren Fletcher shouted “Chido, well played” from the touchline in the first half of Manchester United Under-18s’ game against Manchester City. Chido Obi had just forced a save from the Manchester City goalkeeper and looked disappointed not to have scored.
In another passage of play, Obi was sent through into the box, but he was flagged offside. The youngster’s shoulders slumped, and Fletcher responded by shouting: “Keep your head up, Chido.”
Fletcher encouraged Obi throughout the U18 Manchester derby. The striker’s out-of-possession work has been identified as his biggest area for improvement, but he was excellent in that regard, pressing aggressively to help force a mistake from Harrison Miles for the opening goal.
Miles’ heavy touch when attempting to play out from the back created an opportunity. Obi reacted quickly and pressured the ball, which led to JJ Gabriel picking it up and firing home.
Obi needs to learn to love the ugly side of being a centre-forward to return to the first team set-up. The youngster loves to score goals, but there are other duties a striker must excel at to become the finished article.
Gabriel broke the deadlock, and Obi was praised by his manager as he returned to the halfway line for the restart. Gabriel and Obi are a deadly partnership at U18 level. They both have the talent to reach the pinnacle of the game, but it’s matches like Saturday’s against City that will help them to develop.
With seven minutes remaining, Obi got the reward for his diligent out-of-possession work when he gambled, as every striker should, by latching onto a long ball over the top of City’s backline.
In most cases, the ball probably would have been cleared, but Obi sniffed a potential opening and struck gold with a clinical finish. Fletcher looked delighted with him on the touchline.
United were the short-priced favourites to see out the victory after Obi’s goal. However, City produced an immediate response to halve the deficit through Tyrone Samba. The 18-year-old found the top corner from the edge of the box to set up a fascinating last few minutes of the academy Manchester derby.
City’s build-up became frantic as they chased a late equaliser. United soaked up the pressure and counter-attacked, which led to the Reds winning a free-kick around 20 yards out. Jim Thwaites was introduced to the game at half-time and confidently picked up the ball.
The inevitable happened. Thwaites has already built a reputation in the academy as a dead-ball specialist, and the technique to find the top left from the right side of the box was exquisite.
United won 3-1 to close the gap in the U18 North League table. City have been the pace-setters this season and are now a point ahead with three games in hand, but United’s victory should provide the youngsters with hope that the title race could go down to the final day of the campaign.
Fletcher was spotted deep in conversation with Michael Carrick after the final whistle. Carrick was present at City’s academy to watch his son play in the Under-16 Manchester derby on the adjacent pitch.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
It looked like Carrick received a debrief from Fletcher about his team’s superb performance. Carrick has shown a keen interest in the academy since his appointment as interim boss, unlike his predecessor, and his presence demonstrates that there is a pathway to the first team.
Each of the goalscorers against City, Gabriel, Obi and Thwaites, have taken part in first-team training sessions at Carrington. Carrick will cast his eye on academy prospects for as long as he’s in charge.
It will be fascinating to see if Obi is involved in another Premier League squad before the end of the season. Obi has been included in just a single squad, against Wolves on December 30, and his hopes of further involvement have been dashed by early cup exits and very few first-team injuries.
Obi only celebrated his 18th birthday in November and needs to “keep his head up”.
