JJ Gabriel was the architect of yet another Man Utd U18s victory as he scored twice in the 6-1 win against Derby, but coaches will be more impressed with what he did other than that.
There was the usual penalty struck with supreme confidence, a golazo that’s becoming routine for him as he scored another from outside the box.
Louie Bradbury also scored twice, while Noah Ajayi continued his breakout with a brace of his own, but JJ Gabriel’s all-round play caught the eye.
Sum up JJ Gabriel in one word…🔥
JJ Gabriel celebrates for Manchester United.
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Especially his game off the ball, which will do more for his breakthrough prospects than any amount of goals will at the academy level.
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United controls the ball during the U18 Premier League match between Manchester United and Derby County at Carrington Training Ground on February 25, 2026
Photo by Zohaib Alam – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
JJ Gabriel is levelling up in real time
At just 15, it’s already ridiculous that Gabriel is playing, and looking at home at the U18s level, having already trained with the senior team.
As a result, his performances for the U18s side have become remarkably normalised, and people want to see him improve rapidly.
He always had the goals, assists, and a bag of tricks in his repertoire, but many players have that at the academy level.
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What he’s starting to do now, which is his work off the ball, be it his defensive positioning, knowledge of pressing triggers, when to cut the passing lanes, and how to go into duels, will truly accelerate his breakout.
Against Derby County, there was his usual panache with scoring, but he was a nightmare for the opposition defenders as he led the defence from the front.
He never stopped pressing the defenders, but did so intelligently when he had support, often choosing to cut passing lanes instead.
He forced multiple high-turnovers with his quality of pressing and knowledge of passing lanes, while his willingness to throw himself into duels was a welcome development.
Gabriel’s time should come as soon as next season
When Gabriel burst onto the scene, he was a tricky winger with an eye for the goal and the mentality to be the best he can be.
Where do you think JJ Gabriel will be by the time he is 18?🔮
He's been playing against 18-year-olds all season, but how good will he be in three years?
JJ Gabriel celebrates, in Man Utd red kit
Photo by Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images
The latter is visible in his development, as in only one year of playing for the U18s side, he looks a far more polished prospect.
His physicality will come with time, which he has a lot of, but in the meantime, coaches will look for intention and effort.
Gabriel is not lacking in either, as he never becomes a passenger in games when he’s not scoring, and is driven to get his team the victory, either by scoring or by playing a key role elsewhere.
Having his talent with that mentality is the key to success, which is why it won’t be a surprise if he gets his first-team debut as soon as next season.
Michael Carrick is already a fan, and even if he doesn’t stay, Gabriel simply might be too good to be ignored for long.
Adding to his off-the-ball game will only accelerate that inevitable.
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