Match Preview
The young Eagles now face Manchester United in the Floodlit Shield Final – the latest chapter in what has become a memorable month of academy meetings between the two clubs.
At Under-18 level, the sides shared dramatic encounters in both the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Cup. Palace suffered heartbreak in the former as a 116th-minute Chido Obi strike ended the club’s first FA Youth Cup semi-final run in nearly 30 years, before the young Eagles responded in style by lifting their first-ever Under-18 Premier League Cup following a dramatic penalty shootout victory in front of more than 4,000 supporters at Selhurst Park.
United finished third in the Floodlit Cup North Regional Division C standings. After opening with defeat to Wigan Athletic, the young Reds produced an emphatic 7-0 victory over Sheffield United before drawing 4-4 with Manchester City. In the reverse fixtures, United again shared high-scoring draws with Wigan and Sheffield United before falling to Manchester City.
Their Floodlit Shield campaign began with a 3-2 victory over Stoke City, inspired by a Jaice hat-trick, before further wins over Everton and Sunderland secured their place in the final.
United also arrive with strong pedigree in this age group. Last season, their Under-15s produced a remarkable comeback in the Premier League Floodlit Cup North Final, recovering from 3-0 down with 12 minutes remaining to defeat Manchester City 4-3 before going on to beat Chelsea 3-1 in the National Final.
Among the names involved was Kai Rooney, son of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, who scored the dramatic winning goal in the national final.
Despite United’s strong record in the competition, Palace have already enjoyed success this season. Josh Bednash’s side lifted the Merseyside Cup with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool earlier in the campaign and have also reached the AFCA Cup final following an emphatic 5-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road.
As part of the Youth Development Phase format, the final will consist of two 40-minute halves, with a 10-minute half-time interval. Should the match remain level, extra-time will be played over two 10-minute periods before penalties if required.
