Big Leeds United crowd and Whites response but Man City youngsters shine to lift FA Youth Cup

A valiant Leeds United response ultimately counted for nothing as Manchester City’s under-18s dazzled for a 4-0 victory in Friday night’s final of the FA Youth Cup at the Etihad.

Leeds quickly sold their allocation of 6,500 tickets for the club’s third appearance in the competition’s final and United’s fans packed out their end of the ground as Leeds went toe-to-toe with a City side stacked out with youth internationals.

The first half ended goalless but City’s attacking prowess eventually came to the fore after the break as Justin Oboavwoduo, Stephen Mfuni, Jayden Heskey and substitute Matty Warhurst all netted in a 4-0 success.

City eventually got well on top of an initially cagey first-half but a combination of wasteful play and wayward finishing but also strong, resilient Leeds defending kept them at bay.

Whites custodian Rory Mahady dealt with everything that was thrown at him which often involved crosses from both flanks via very dangerous wingers Farid Alfa-Ruprecht and Joel Ndala.

Emile Heskey’s son Jayden Heskey was also a threat in the no 9 role and the striker went close when heading over the bar from an Alfa-Ruprecht cross. As part of a menacing front four, Oboavwoduo also regularly piled forward from the no 10 role.

City did get the ball in the back of the net through a thunderous Alfa-Ruprecht finish but he was clearly offside and Leeds were saved by the offside flag after the winger netted following right back Matty Henderson-Hall’s through ball.

The excellent Henderson-Hall went close himself with a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected just wide for one of many City corners, one of which led to Whites captain Daniel Toulson clearing off the line and punching the air in delight.

But Leeds also offered a threat themselves, particularly through left winger Josh McDonald who often got in down the left and sent one particularly dangerous cross flying through the box.

An early solo run by Sam Chambers also got the packed away end excited in the early stages but the first half ultimately ended goalless. There were no changes during the interval, after which Leeds went close within just two minutes of the restart as a cross from Harvey Vincent took a big deflection, to which keeper True Grant recovered in time to save.

Within another minute, his side were then ahead after superb work from powerhouse attacking midfielder Oboavwoduo. The England under-18s international stormed forward towards the Whites box and unleashed a thunderous low drive which Mahady somehow kept out with a flying low save. Oboavwoduo, though, continued into the box and was able to fire in a follow-up attempt which took a big deflection off Richards before creeping in at the far left post. City quickly pressed for a second goal and Leeds initially held firm, Reuben Lopata-White helping with some big clearances or blocks at the back. But the Whites were then ruthlessly carved apart in the 61st minute as part of a lightning fast break that ended with Heskey doubling the City lead.

A brilliant through ball from Kian Noble played Alfa-Ruprecht in down the right channel and this time Alfa-Ruprecht laid on a perfect low cross which Heskey blasted home from the middle of the box.

Leeds tried to respond with a few flurries forward, Vincent firing well wide and over from the edge of the box. After a strong run by full-back Richards, Chambers saw his shot from the edge of the box deflected just wide for a corner from which a Charlie Crew strike was blocked. City then stormed forward on the counter but an excellent sliding clearance from Richards forced yet another home corner.

United survived it but the City pressure continued and the hosts finally made the most of a set piece in the 70th minute which Leeds failed to clear, the net bulging for a third time as Mfuni headed home from just under the bar.

The Whites still refused to throw in the towel and captain Toulson went close with a diving header from a free-kick, forcing a scrambling Grant to save. But it was from another Leeds attack that City ultimately bagged a fourth goal, substitute Warhurst netting with a fine solo, powering into the box and then firing a clinical finish past Mahady into the bottom right.

Even then at 4-0 down, Leeds continued to push on and Crew fired just wide as the Whites ended the game in attack, backed by their following who sang for them until the end.

Manchester City: Grant, Henderson-Hall, Noble, Simpson-Pusey, Mfuni (Naylow 85), Gray, Alfa-Ruprecht, Oboavwoduo (Warhurst 73), Heskey, Mukasa (Okeke 73), Ndala. Subs not used: Wint, Fapetu, Dunbar-McDonald, Fletcher.

Leeds United: Mahady, Richards, Toulson, Crew, Cresswell, Lopata-White, Vincent (Brockie 80), Chadwick, Lane (Douglas 60), Chambers, McDonald. Subs not used: Grainger, Billett, Bird, Pickles, Brown.