JJ Gabriel and Chido Obi were the usual suspects as Man Utd U18s march towards FA Youth Cup glory, but another wonderkid is emerging.
The Man Utd first-team might be mired in an injury crisis, but the U18s finished their job in style with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
The victory pits them up against Man City in the final of the FA Youth Cup, and who else but JJ Gabriel and Chido Obi to do so.
The two crown jewels of the academy scored, but the coaches will be delighted to see another youngster announcing himself in style.
James Overy of Manchester United in action during the FA Youth Cup Semi Final match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on April 17, 2026
Photo by Zohaib Alam – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Who was United’s man of the match in the FA Youth Cup semi-final vs Crystal Palace?
Manchester United v Derby County - FA Youth Cup
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James Overy shines in the FA Youth Cup
James Overy joined Man Utd in 2024 as an exciting youngster from Australia, but his progress at the club has been marred by injuries.
Even this season, he has floated between the U21s and the U18s setup, but his swashbuckling style of play is quickly garnering admirers at Carrington.
He’s a bombing right-back with an eye for a pass, which was on full display against Crystal Palace. Just ask Chido Obi!
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With the clock ticking down on extra time and the two sides locked at 1-1, the ball found its way to James Overy on the right wing.
The Aussie beautifully opened his right foot and hit an exquisite pass with the outside as the ball curled around the Palace defence straight into the path of Obi.
The striker did the rest with supreme confidence, but it was mostly down to the remarkable pass made by Overy in the first place.
For a player who has struggled for regular minutes at the academy level, it was an exciting glimpse of what his ceiling could be.
Overy has a long way to go at Man Utd
Overy announced himself as someone to watch out for against Palace, but he still has a long way to go.
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Yuel Helafu’s emergence has pushed him down the pecking order, and some teething problems remain in his game defensively.
Even against Palace, he had trouble defending his wing against the winger, which led to some dangerous situations.
He has a simple to-do list at Carrington: double down on his skills on the ball, polish his game defensively, and try to stay injury-free.
A loan next season in the football league could be the way to go for him, because it will give him a sink-or-swim situation.
If he swims, United might have the perfect modern full-back in their ranks.
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