The Manchester United senior team might be getting a breather from the constant string of underwhelming displays but the kids are alright!
Manchester United U18s brushed aside Chelsea in the FA Cup round of 16 courtesy of Chido Obi’s hat-trick that saw them emerge as 5-1 winners.
Chido Obi was the star of the show, as expected with his name on the scoresheet, and James Scanlon’s brace continues his ascent toward first-team status.
However, it was a player who wasn’t on the scoresheet who arguably impressed the most outside of scoring, posing a question for Ruben Amorim in the process.
Kiano Dyer of Chelsea runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Jack Fletcher of Manchester United during the The FA Youth Cup 5th Round match...
Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Heartbeat of Man Utd U18s is Jack Fletcher
When Man Utd staged a double coup at Man City and signed Darren Fletcher’s sons – Tyler and Jack Fletcher, they wouldn’t have expected to get a 100% hit rate.
That’s exactly the way it seems to be going, especially in Jack Fletcher’s case who, at 17, is bossing not just the U18s level, but the U21s too.
Against Chelsea, United played their full-strength side due to the legacy of the FA Youth Cup, and in a team full of potential superstars, Jack Fletcher stood out massively.
The academy team doesn’t play Ruben Amorim’s system but it doesn’t matter for Fletcher, who is at his best as a No. 10 just behind the striker, a position that is tailor-made for Amorim’s setup too.
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He was a nuisance against Chelsea, be it through his free-kicks, long-range shots, crisp and progressive passing, or deceptively combative tackling.
He rose to the occasion and after bossing in Premier League 2 for the U21s, looked like a player who was playing below his level on this occasion, a huge compliment for a player who’s just 17.
Jack Fletcher becoming undeniable for Ruben Amorim
After the departure of Marcus Rashford and Antony in the winter window, United are extremely light up front, a scenario which Chido Obi is set to take advantage of.
However, in Jack Fletcher, Amorim has all the skill sets he needs from that No. 10 in his setup. He’s a left-footed attacker, a trait that only Amad has among the forwards.
Fletcher is good at set-pieces and runs his socks off every game, perfectly stepping up to Amorim’s key demand of intensity.
His work in the half-spaces speaks about a player whose understanding of the pitch is already beyond his young age, something that will only look better as he plays with better players at a higher level.
Chido Obi’s goals will keep bagging the headlines but Fletcher is arguably more ready for the senior team due to his all-around ability.