Man Utd’s U18s began their FA Youth Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory against Peterborough at Old Trafford
20:53, 09 Dec 2025
JJ Gabriel scored on his Old Trafford debut.
JJ Gabriel celebrated with a knee slide in front of the Stretford End after finishing brilliantly to net his first Old Trafford goal. Manchester United fans will hope it’s the first of many from Gabriel in a United shirt.
Gabriel became the youngest player (15 years, two months and three days) to represent United in the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday night, breaking the record held by Omari Forson (15 yrs and four months). That is according to online records, which begin from the 2006/2007 season.
There is a chance that Gabriel could become United’s youngest-ever Premier League player at some point during next season. Angel Gomes (16 years, 263 days), Shola Shoretire (17 years, 19 days) and Chido Obi (17 years, 79 days) are currently the youngest players to make a debut for United.
Gabriel cannot play in the Premier League this season because the rules state a player can only feature if they are 15 by August 31 of that campaign, but he could still break United’s record next term.
United have rich history in the Youth Cup – no club has won it more – and the Under-18s were heavy favourites to open their campaign with a win against Peterborough, so it was a shame that academy director Stephen Torpey appeared to be the only noteworthy face present in the directors’ box.
Jason Wilcox was not spotted, nor was a member of Ruben Amorim’s coaching staff. Erik ten Hag popping down to Altrincham to watch the Under-21s in September 2022 was taken for granted at the time.
Gabriel has been introduced to Amorim, and he recently took part in his first senior training session, leading Amorim to say in a press conference: “I know he is a really talented guy.”
It didn’t take long for the few hundred attendees at Old Trafford, most of whom were connections of each side’s players, to see that talent when Gabriel demonstrated his agility down the left. The youngster idolises Neymar, and his dribbling is reminiscent of the Brazilian winger in his prime.
Louis Bradbury missed the first chance of the game, dragging his shot wide of the post. Every young forward misses chances, but Gabriel is not an ordinary teenager and clinically put away his first opportunity.
JJ Gabriel was the standout performer at Old Trafford(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
Before the game, Peterborough’s manager joked that some of his players who were injured were suddenly fit to be involved at Old Trafford. The players who were selected to start will recall the day they played against Gabriel, provided the teenager scales to the heights that he’s been tipped to reach.
Gabriel is so highly rated that Omar Berrada and Wilcox were involved in an eleventh-hour meeting to keep him in the summer. Every giant European club wants to lure the teenager away.
United have offered Gabriel a box at the new Old Trafford, which is planned to be completed by 2030, and staff believe he could become the face of the club if he stays in Manchester.
Darren Fletcher was appointed as U18 manager in the summer, and a source has praised Fletcher’s handling of Gabriel this season because he wants him on the ball as much as possible.
That has been key in most matches – get the ball to Gabriel and he’ll make something happen. The result is invariably that the youngster finds the back of the net in style. Gabriel scored his 11th goal of the season against Peterborough, in what was just his 12th appearance of the campaign.
It was hard not to think of Alejandro Garnacho when watching Gabriel dance around Peterborough shirts under the floodlights. Garnacho was talismanic during a successful 2021/22 Youth Cup campaign, scoring seven goals in the competition, and Gabriel has the ability to better that haul this term.
However, Gabriel will not be able to lead United to another Youth Cup on his own. Chido Obi was the talisman for the U18s in the competition last season, and fans expected the young striker to fire the team to glory, but they fell short on penalties in the semi-finals against the eventual winners, Aston Villa.
It will be a team effort to win the Youth Cup. The good news is Fletcher has talented players such as Bendito Mantato, Jim Thwaites, Godwill Kukonki and Daniel Armer to spearhead the charge.
United fans will at least be thoroughly entertained by watching the U18s bid for glory.
