UNDER-21S: UNITED 1 MANCHESTER CITY 0
Barclays Under-21 Premier League | 11 February 2016 | Leigh Sports Village | Scorer: Rothwell 16
Manchester United moved to the top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League table with a 1-0 victory over neighbours City at Leigh Sports Village.
Joe Rothwell scored the only goal on his first start of the season and Warren Joyce will be pleased with the effort his players put into preserving the slender advantage as the Blues rarely looked capable of conjuring up an equaliser.
Will Keane, fresh from five goals in his last outing on Monday against Norwich City, showed his pace when looking to exploit an early error at the back but Angus Gunn was out well to save. The striker then had a shot deflected behind for a corner following a neat turn.
The Reds continued to carry the greater threat and were rewarded with the opening goal. Tim Fosu-Mensah, playing at right-back, launched an enticing through ball into the path of Keane and he sensibly held off Kean Bryan and waited for support from Rothwell, with the midfielder guiding a measured shot into the net.
City managed a couple of efforts from set-pieces - Tosin Adarabioyo forcing a fine save by Joel Pereira and Bryan nodding off target - while full Reds debutant Regan Poole made a determined block to smother an Aleix Garcia drive. However, the home side looked pretty much in control and Josh Harrop had a free-kick pushed out by Gunn and bent an attempt the wrong side of the far post either side of the interval.
Harrop's departure due to injury on 69 minutes allowed Sadiq El Fitouri the chance to feature against his former employers while Marcus Rashford was also introduced to add his speed on the left. Chances were at a premium as the game wore on with United working flat out to deny the Blues any space.
Keane managed to get a sight of goal following a flowing move, which culminated in Fosu-Mensah picking out the centre-forward, but the shot, although containing plenty of punch, flew wide. The excellent Ro-Shaun Williams also blazed an ambitious effort over the bar late on after breaking forward. City finally mustered a couple of chances in injury time but Poole made another wonderful block and Pereira kept out Aleix Garcia as it stayed 1-0.
So it is eight wins out of eight home games for Joyce's side, who are at the summit with a game in hand on second-placed Sunderland.
United: J.Pereira; Fosu-Mensah, Williams, Love, Riley; Poole, Redmond, Rothwell (Rashford 71); Harrop (El Fitouri 69), Keane, Weir. Subs not used: Henderson, McTominay, Mitchell.
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http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And-Staff/Reserves/Reserves-News/2016/Feb/u21s-match-report-manchester-united-v-manchester-city.aspx