Alexander Isak saw his celebration performed by Manchester United youth star JJ Gabriel after their under-18s smashed Liverpool away from home on Saturday afternoon
JJ Gabriel appeared to pull out Alexander Isak's celebration after scoring for Manchester United
JJ Gabriel appeared to pull out Alexander Isak's celebration after scoring for Manchester United
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Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel mimicked Alexander Isak's trademark celebration after netting a hat-trick in a stunning 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool's under-18s. The 15-year-old sensation struck three times as United's youth team demolished their Merseyside rivals away from home.
His standout strike came via a mesmerising solo run down the right flank, weaving past several Liverpool defenders before rifling the ball into the net. The teenager then wheeled away pointing back over his shoulder - exactly replicating Isak's signature move after finding the back of the net.
The Swedish striker hasn't showcased that particular celebration recently, but it became rather notable when he produced it after outjumping Virgil van Dijk to score in Newcastle's Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool. Gabriel had certainly earned the right to mock his opponents after completing his treble, taking his tally to 10 goals this season.
Darren Fletcher's squad climbed to third place following that emphatic win, ending a disappointing run of five matches without victory. Despite Gabriel's tender years, Ruben Amorim is well aware of the youngster's talents, having witnessed them first hand during senior training sessions last month.
Amorim said: "Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy. We try to pick players for training that have talent, not just for me to see for tomorrow, but for them to feel what it means to be in the first team, the difficulties playing against our defenders, the difficulty and pace of our training.
"If we can use every training we have to show the kids what they need to do to be here, it is important, not just for JJ but for everyone."
Gabriel could soon find himself in senior matchday squads given his talent, though United are likely to be cautious with his development. If he was just a few years older, it is very possible a first-team debut would have arrived already.
Both Amad and Bryan Mbeumo will soon be heading to AFCON while Benjamin Sesko is out injured for the next few weeks. Matheus Cunha also missed Monday's defeat to Everton after suffering an issue in training, but he is expected back for next week's clash against West Ham at Old Trafford.
JJ Gabriel performed the celebration as Manchester United under-18s hammered Liverpool
JJ Gabriel performed the celebration as Manchester United under-18s hammered Liverpool
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As a result of those two enforced absences, forgotten star Joshua Zirkzee started and played the full game against Everton while Shea Lacey was also on the bench. The latter is another youngster from the academy that is very highly-rated.
From eight appearances for the under-21s, across Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy, he has contributed to five goals. The 18-year-old is another young attacker that Amorim has commented on.
"I'm really happy with him," he said before the Everton clash. "He struggled a little bit with injuries but they did a very good job balancing his body and you can sense he can manage more load during training.
"He has a lot of talent but when they come here they can sense the speed is completely different, so they need to spend more time with us to be prepared because our training is hard.
"In Premier League games the pressure is harder, so they need to be ready. When you call a kid up to the first team, they need to behave really well. This connection is really important. We are putting everything in place - a nutritionist for the academy starts now - in our club.
"That is something that should be basic. All these things we are doing, so I have more time with them and I'm more confident with them. When we put these kids in to play in the Premier League, they will struggle, but will struggle less I think."
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