Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was present to witness Manchester United`s U18s suffer a painful defeat against Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup semi-final via a penalty shootout.
The iconic 83-year-old watched from the stands at Villa Park on Monday night as Adam Lawrence`s young squad competed for a place in the final against either Manchester City or Watford.
Credit: Getty
Credit: Getty
Credit: Getty
United`s starting lineup included 17-year-old Chido Obi, signaling that the talented youngster would not be available for the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest later that night.
Tyler and Jack Fletcher, the twin sons of Manchester United legend and current coach Darren Fletcher, were also in the starting eleven.
Lawrence`s team had previously defeated Coventry City, Preston North End, and Chelsea to reach the quarter-finals, where they overcame a 2-1 deficit against Arsenal to secure a 3-2 victory.
Over 1,000 United supporters purchased tickets for the semi-final, knowing that a win would grant them the privilege of hosting the final at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson was among those who attended, and his disappointment was evident when Trai-Varn Mulley scored the opening goal for Aston Villa within the first four minutes.
The Scottish icon, renowned for developing young talents like the Class of `92, watched intently from the executive box.
He would have been relieved when James Scanlon, the left winger, equalized for Manchester United in the 23rd minute, following good play by Tyler Fletcher. Phil Jones, a former defender, is also part of the coaching staff for the youth team.
This goal marked Gibraltar international Scanlon`s third in the Youth Cup this season and his 19th across all competitions.
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Scanlon`s goal leveled the score, and it remained the final goal of the match, leading to extra time and eventually penalties.
Ultimately, it was a heartbreaking night for Ferguson and Manchester United`s young players as they were defeated 3-1 in the penalty shootout.
I told Rio Ferdinand to tell Sir Alex Ferguson to f*** off and the Man Utd legend`s reaction was priceless
Rubin Amorim`s first team will aim for better luck in the Midlands when they face Nottingham Forest.
They will be well-rested, having had over two weeks off since their previous game, a 3-0 victory away against Leicester.
