Darren Fletcher’s young Red Devils won 6-1 against Derby County U18s, and Noah Ajayi is leaving no stone unturned in making sure JJ Gabriel is not the only talent being talked about.
Manchester United’s U18s are in a title race against Man City in the U18s Premier League, and their recent game against Derby County was a statement display.
Louie Bradbury, JJ Gabriel, and Noah Ajayi helped themselves to a brace each as Darren Fletcher’s side piled on the pressure on Derby County U18s.
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Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Gabriel’s scoring exploits will take the headlines again, but the best goal of the game came from Noah Ajayi, who’s starting to stand out on his own.
Noah Ajayi of Manchester United celebrates scoring his teams sixth goal 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
Noah Ajayi unstoppable in Man Utd U18s win
Ajayi started on the left of Fletcher’s 4-2-3-1 against Derby, with Gabriel playing down the middle, just behind Louie Bradbury.
Bradbury opened the scoring with a trademark poacher’s finish before the stardust of quality was applied by Gabriel and Ajayi.
Gabriel hit a long-range shot from outside the box, along with a penalty, but Ajayi was truly unstoppable with two wonderful goals.
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His solo goal, the team’s sixth and his second, was the pick of the bunch, as he took the ball near the halfway line, darted into the attacking box, skipped past a couple of challenges, and showcased his two-footedness with a brilliant finish.
Standing at 6’2″, Ajayi has combined electric dribbling skills with shifty speed and agility, which makes him a nightmare to defend against.
He had been knocking on the door for a while, but the last few games have truly been his breakout.
Ajayi is stepping out of JJ Gabriel’s shadow
At the start of the season, Gabriel was the undisputed choice for the left-winger role, but he has since been used as a No. 10 and a striker by Fletcher.
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This has allowed Ajayi a chance to shine in his preferred LW role, a chance that he has taken with both hands in recent games.
With his physical and technical gifts, he’s starting to look like another elite talent in a batch of youngsters that is extremely exciting.
In the attack alone, Gabriel is accompanied by free-scoring Bradbury, exciting Nkoto brothers, Kai Rooney, and now Ajayi.
Gabriel has always been thought of as the crown jewel of this team batch, but Ajayi is definitely stepping out of that shadow to mark himself as another elite talent.
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