What happened...
Manchester City guaranteed top spot in the U18 Premier League North section with a 4-2 defeat of Stoke City at Clayton Wood.
First half goals from Ian Carlo Poveda, Sadou Diallo and Luke Bolton gave City a comfortable lead in the first half before Joe Hardy‘s late finish completed the win for Lee Carsley‘s side and sealed the North title, ahead of the Premier League final stage.
Poveda opened the scoring for City with a clinical finish after Matt Smith’s shot was spilled into his path.
City’s lead was doubled just a few minutes later as centre-back for the day Diallo met Will Patching’s swinging corner and powered home his header.
Although City remained in control in the following minutes, they were shaken when Diallo was forced off after being involved in a clash of heads. Joe Coveney made his return from injury to replace him.
Stoke striker Jordan Greenidge pulled one back for the hosts shortly before half-time with a side-footed volley but Bolton restored City’s two goal advantage with an incisive break away.
It was the Potters who started the second half brighter and Lasse Sorensen capitalised with an angled finish across Aro Muric‘s goal to reduce the lead.
City kept their opponents at arms’ length throughout the remainder of the match before Hardy added another in the dying moments to guarantee the three points and the regional title.
View highlights from the Youth Cup thrashing of Southampton below...
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What it means...
City have an unassailable lead at the top of the north section of the Under-18 Premier League, with 52 points from 20 games.
How they lined up...
Aro Muric continued in goal.
Jeremie Frimpong started at right-back with Sadou Diallo and Ed Francis in the centre and Tyreke Wilson at left-back.
Iker Pozo sat at the base of the midfield behind Matt Smith and Will Patching while Luke Bolton and Ian Carlo Poveda flanked central striker Lorenzo Gonzalez.
