WHAT HAPPENED
Our under-18s gave away a three-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Manchester United in the first game of the group stage in the Premier League Cup.
It didn’t take us too long to open the scoring, with Bukayo Saka striking in just the fifth minute. The 16-year-old drifted in from the right hand-side and fired a powerful strike over United goalkeeper Alex Fojticek.
We doubled our lead through Emile Smith Rowe who, following a poor clearance by Fojticek, swept the ball around the keeper and into the bottom corner.
Our under-18s continued to punish United's lax defending and James Olayinka was next to get his name on the scoresheet after a neat one-two with Saka.
Following the interval, United quickly found the foothold that they had been searching for in the first half, when Nishan Burkat met Dylan Levitt’s ball at the near post to sidefoot it beyond Joao Virginia.
United then reduced the deficit to one, when Jack Bughail-Mellor raced through on goal and coolly rolled the ball in off the far post.
With the full-time whistle nearing, Folarin Balogun gave away a penalty for pulling back Brandon Williams, with Angel Gomes converting from the spot.
Things went from bad to worse for us, when yet another penalty was given to the hosts, this time for a foul on Largie Ramazani. Gomes yet again stepped up and buried it to condemn Kwame Ampadu's side to defeat.
WHAT'S NEXT
Our under-18s face Reading at home in the league in their next fixture and will be hoping to get back to winning ways following two disappointing away defeats.
WHAT IT MEANS
The result means that our under-18s are bottom of Group F in the Premier League Cup, but are still yet to face Stoke City and Wolves.
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