U21s Report: Unbeaten run ends at the hands of league leaders

Summary:

• Jackson Izquierdo made his first start of the 2025/26 season, replacing Harry Lee in goal, while Rio Cardines and Asher Agbinone also returned to the starting XI.
• 2: Gabriele Biancheri’s left-footed effort from just inside the area was well blocked.
• 25: The hosts enjoy the lion’s share of possession, but neither side have created a notable chance.
• 37: Palace 'keeper Jackson Izquierdo denies United from the spot.
• 44: Izquierdo’s fine form continues as Munro rises highest to power a close-range header at goal, but the 'keeper reacts quickly to tip it over the bar.
• 47 - GOAL: Biancheri squared the ball to Jacob Devaney, who calmly found the bottom right corner
• HT: Manchester United U21s 1-0 Palace U21as
• 56 - GOAL: Biancheri doubles United's lead.
• 79 - GOAL: Asher Agbinone halves the deficit in spectacular fashion.
• 87 - GOAL: Shea Lacey's free kick extends the hosts advantage to 3-1.
• 90 - GOAL: Lacey completes his brace and puts United 4-1 up.
• FT: Manchester United U21s 4-1 Palace U21s

Heading into the match, Palace U21s were riding high after a thrilling 3-2 win over Leeds in their first home fixture of the Premier League 2 season at Sutton’s VBS Community Stadium.

The result extended their unbeaten start to the campaign and moved them up to ninth in the table, with a game in hand over the majority of the teams above them.

Hosts Manchester United, meanwhile, arrived in red-hot form, having won all four of their league fixtures to top the league. They also opened their Premier League International Cup campaign with a convincing 2-1 victory over Athletic Club mid-week.

Darren Powell made three changes to the side that edged past Leeds in the young Eagles' VBS curtain-raiser. Jackson Izquierdo made his first start of the 2025/26 season, replacing Harry Lee in goal, while Rio Cardines and Asher Agbinone also returned to the starting XI.

Most notably for the young Red Devils, talisman Chido Obi-Martin was named on the bench for the second consecutive game following Bilbao.

The young Eagles were made to stay alert early on, as United issued an early warning sign — Gabriele Biancheri’s left-footed effort from just inside the area was well blocked.

But Palace responded with purpose. Romain Esse, buoyed by his goal against Leeds on Monday, picked up where he left off — full of energy and intent, giving the United backline plenty to think about.

Moments later, Agbinone's surging run brought him eye-to-eye with Dermot Mee, but his side-footed effort was straight at the goalkeeper, who parried and then gathered at the second attempt. The hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, but neither side had created any notable chances approaching the midway point of the half.

Bendito Mantato was causing a few problems for Palace as he burst forward after 21 minutes played, with his low shot across goal blocked at the decisive moment.

Esse and Zach Marsh were effective in carrying the ball forward, easing the pressure on the defence and disrupting United’s rhythm by winning free kicks in the attacking half.

It was clear the young Eagles were frustrating the hosts, who struggled to turn possession into chances and break down Palace’s solid backline.

A reckless foul by Daniel Armer on Marsh gave Palace a much-needed breather, allowing them to edge closer to the prospect of heading into the break goalless, an ideal scenario for the visitors.

As the half progressed, the game sprang into life. Following a brief stoppage for treatment to Esse, Manchester United's Finley McAllister won a penalty — but the opportunity was wasted, and the scoreline remained unchanged.

Cardines came agonisingly close to giving the young Eagles the lead when he tried his luck straight from the free kick and grazed the post.

Izquierdo’s fine form continued as Munro rose highest to power a close-range header at goal, but the 'keeper reacted quickly to tip it over the bar.

Unfortunately, the hosts took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Biancheri laid off Jacob Devaney, who ran onto it and calmly found the bottom right corner, giving the young Red Devils a slender lead going into the break.

After a fairly even start to the second half, the hosts doubled their lead through Devaney this time turning provider. The captain for the afternoon teed up Biancheri, who nodded past Izquierdo at the back post.

To capitalise on the momentum garnered, the young Red Devils made wholesale changes, introducing dangermen Obi and Shea Lacey. But rather than swinging momentum in their favour, the pendulum shifted towards the visitors.

Palace nearly halved the deficit when Esse cut inside and let fly, only to see his effort miss the top right corner by millimetres.

At the other end, United could have had a third if Devaney had picked the correct pass in the penalty area, and Biancheri then tested Palace's goalkeeper with another effort as the match reached the final 20 minutes, but this time Izquierdo was more than equal to it.

As the game entered its final third, Palace carved out a flurry of chances. Esse had a shot blocked from the left side of the box, Mofe Jemide fired over, and Dylan Reid came closest — his right-footed effort from distance skimming just wide of the left post.

Eventually, United could weather the storm no longer, and Palace pulled one back through a moment of brilliance from Asher Agbinone with 10 minutes left to play. The forward collected the ball from Jemide and plucked a wonderful strike from his right boot that sailed past Dermot Mee and into the very top corner.

The young Eagles continued to push for an equaliser, with Agbinone testing the ‘keeper with a powerful strike straight at him.

In the dying moments, Lacey made it 3-1 with a a beautiful free-kick that sailed around the Palace wall, leaving the Eagles goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

And there was still time for another from the Liverpudlian, as he received the ball inside the area, before twisting and turning and wrapping an effort into the net for 4-1.

The result sees Palace drop to 15th in the Premier League Two with seven points. There will be hopes that Darren Powell's side can return to winning ways on Monday (6th October, 19:00 BST) against Birmingham at the VBS.

Palace U21s: Izquierdo (GK), Grante, Fasida, Jemide, Browne ©, Reid, Cardines, Rodney, Marsh (Nascimento, 76'), Agbinone, Esse.

Subs not used: Hill (GK), King, Drakes-Thomas, Williams.

Man Utd U21s: Mee (GK), Kamason, Munro (Fletcher, 62'), Armer, Fletcher, Mcallister (Lacey, 63'), Mantato (Obi, 63'), Devaney ©, Blancheri (Musa, 89'), Fitzgerald, Scanlon.

Subs not used: Murdock (GK).