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Manchester United Under-21s hosted Chelsea Under-21s at Leigh Sports Village on Monday evening.
Michael Carrick and the first team coaching staff were on hand to watch the top of the table clash.
First half
United got off to the worst possible start when, just seconds into the match, Chelsea played the ball back to their goalkeeper, Max Merrick, to kick long and the ball hit the side of Chido Obi’s head as he appeared to be pressing.
A hard blow to the head saw the Danish striker sidelined for several minutes, with Adam Lawrence ultimately opting to replace the number nine with Victor Musa.
United slowly got into their rhythm and forced a number of goals high up the pitch. The most fruitful of these saw Finley McAllister intercepting the ball in midfield before splitting Chelsea’s backline to play Musa through on goal, but the striker could not beat Merrick.
Chelsea then threatened United’s goal, with Jesse Derry’s free-kick forcing a fingertip save from Will Murdock.
The visitors took the lead after half an hour when Genesis Antwi twisted past Diego Leon before racing down the right wing and hitting back to Shumaira Mheuka, whose strike slipped through Murdock’s palms and into the goal.
Things went from bad to worse for United when another head injury, this time to captain Sonny Aljofree, forced United to make another early substitution.
Chelsea doubled their lead in stoppage time, with Reggie Walsh’s cross finding Leo Cardoso for an open header at the back post.
Second half
Chelsea almost made it three in a row from the restart as Antwi Mheuka looked in the area again, but Louis Jackson was on hand this time to clear the ball.
It was a largely uneventful second half, with a late Bendito Mantato running in from the right wing and United winning a corner, which was the home side’s only fruitful attack.
Chelsea were fortunate to end the match with 11 men when Justin Osagie’s reckless challenge on Malachi Sharpe saw him earn only a yellow card.
At the end of the day, the London club deserved to get the three points, moving United to the top of the Premier League 2 table. United drop to third place, but are just one point behind the leaders and have one game in hand.
Match facts
United: Murdock; Jackson, Aljofree (Helafu 45+1), Kukonki, Leon; McAllister, Fletcher (Thwaites 60); Sharpe, Fitzgerald, Moorhouse (Mantato 60), Obi (Musa 7)
Unused subs: Honor
Booked: McAllister
Feature image Matt McNulty via Getty Images
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