The Opposition
Manchester United U21s have begun the 2025/26 Premier League 2 season in outstanding form, winning all four of their opening fixtures and sitting top of the table with a maximum 12 points.
Their campaign began with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, courtesy of a powerful Ethan Ennis strike. That was followed by a 4-2 victory against Norwich City at Carrington.
Chido Obi opened the scoring early, and after a brief Norwich fightback, further goals from Daniel Armer, Ennis, and Jack Fletcher ensured a comfortable win.
United then overcame Manchester City 2-1 in the Manchester derby at Leigh Sports Village. Despite conceding a late equaliser, they responded almost immediately, with substitutes Shea Lacey and Amir Ibragimov combining for a late winner in a high-quality, end-to-end encounter.
Most recently, Travis Binnion’s side came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Kirkby. After falling behind early, Obi equalised before half-time, and Jaydan Kamason struck late to maintain United’s perfect record.
Beyond league duties, United also kicked off their Premier League International Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over Spanish outfit Athletic Club at Old Trafford.
After falling behind to a free-kick, the young Reds turned things around with a goal from James Scanlon and a stoppage-time winner from Gabriele Biancheri — assisted by Jack Fletcher.
Their success in multiple competitions comes off the back of a strong 2024/25 season, in which they finished fifth in PL2 but were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual champions Manchester City.
They also enjoyed runs in the National League Cup and the Premier League International Cup, picking up impressive results against the likes of PSV, Sparta Prague, and Hertha Berlin.
The young Reds boast a proud history at development level, having dominated the old Premier Reserve League with five titles between 2002 and 2012.
They were also crowned champions of the inaugural Professional U21 Development League in 2012–13 and lifted the trophy again in both 2015 and 2016.
