Borges bags hat-trick as U18s demolish United

Manni Norkett gave the hosts an early lead but Nico O’Reilly brought City back level just two minutes later.

Borges grabbed his first goal on the half hour mark before capitalising on a United error to score our third just before the half-time break. 

Kian Breckin grabbed our fourth before Borges completed his hat-trick with ten minutes to go to round off a dominant display. 

WHAT HAPPENED

The match set out to be an entertaining encounter right from the outset, with United’s Omari Forson and City’s Josh Adam both seeing efforts flash past the woodwork in the opening minutes. 

And the first goal came with just five minutes on the clock, but unfortunately, it was for United with Forson playing in Norkett who subsequently slid the ball under Josh McNamara, giving the hosts the lead. 

However, City provided a response just two minutes later, as Dire Mebude created half a yard inside the area to fire the ball across goal, O’Reilly levelling the scores from close range. 

As the game settled down, City were able to find their rhythm, and could’ve grabbed a second when Adam took a lovely touch to shift the ball onto his right foot, only for his fierce effort to be denied by the crossbar. 

But we didn’t have to wait much longer for our second goal, with Borges picking up the ball from O’Reilly’s lay-off, stroking past Tom Wooster, handing us the lead with half an hour played. 

And just before the half-time whistle blew, Borges extended our lead, pouncing on the ball after it had rebounded off a United defender, powerfully finishing from inside the area, giving us a welcome two-goal cushion heading into the break. 

The second half started as the first had finished, as we continued our dominance in possession and ability to steal the ball off the hosts high up the pitch as we went in search of a fourth. 

A lovely move, orchestrated by captain Rico Lewis was denied at the last moment by a United defender, deflecting the ball off Breckin as the midfielder went to shoot. 

However, with 15 minutes left on the clock, Breckin got his well-deserved goal, poking home the rebound after his initial effort was saved by Wooster. 

And Borges secured his hat-trick just minutes later, bursting past Louis Jackson before finishing in the bottom corner, rounding off a fantastic display for the winner. 

City continued to search for a sixth in the closing stages, where United’s Sonny Aljofree was sent off following an altercation with Lewis, but we settled for five in a dominant display from the young Blues.  

HOW WE LINED UP 

Josh McNamara was handed the number one jersey for our derby clash, and he was protected by a defence made up of captain Rico Lewis, Max Alleyne, Jadel Katongo and Tomas Galvez. 

Mo Susoho anchored the midfield behind a more advanced duo of Kian Breckin and Josh Adam. 

Dire Mebude and Carlos Borges provided the width with Nico O’Reilly lining up in the number nine role at Carrington. 

Manchester United U18s 

Starting XI: Wooster, Aljofree, Jackson, Kambwala, Murray, Ennis, Oyedele, Hansen-Aaroen, Forson, Hugill, Norkett

Subs: Hanbury, Gore, Mather, Manioo, Ogunneye

Manchester City U18s 

Starting XI: McNamara, Lewis (C), Alleyne, Katongo, Galvez, Susoho, Mebude, Breckin, O’Reilly, Adam, Borges

Subs: Samuel, Murray-Jones, Dickson, Barrington, Ndala

WHAT IT MEANS 

The victory extended our advantage over United, who drop to 11th, to 21 points, although United’s five games in hand could see them reduce that deficit. 

Crucially for City, our seventh league win in a row ensured that we kept our advantage over title-rivals Liverpool to five points following their win over Stoke City. 

WHAT NEXT

Next weekend, Ben Wilkinson‘s side will be back in U18 Premier League North action, as we take on Everton at the City Football Academy. 

Kick-off is at 12:00 on Saturday 12 March.