Mark your calendars! Palace U18s’ historic first-ever Premier League Cup Final against Manchester United takes place on Wednesday, 22nd April at Selhurst Park (19:00 BST).
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Youth Cup semi-final preview: Eagles face competition record holders at Old Trafford
Crystal Palace Under-18s are preparing for their first FA Youth Cup semi-final in nearly 30 years as they face 11-time winners and competition record holders Manchester United on Friday (17 April, 19:00 BST) at Old Trafford. Here is everything you need to know.
Eagle-Eyed Review
Charlie Walker-Smith’s brace inspired Palace U18s to a 3–1 comeback win over Southampton in the U18 Premier League South last time out, getting the young Eagles back to winning ways at Staplewood.
That followed a narrow 2–0 defeat away at Chelsea over the Easter weekend, which ended a six-match unbeaten run across league and cup. The matchday squad included eight U16 players alongside three first-year scholars, reflecting the continued pathway integration within the academy setup.
U21 regulars Walker-Smith and Benji Casey were also involved due to a lighter fixture schedule, bringing added experience to a notably youthful side.
With a decisive run-in ahead – the FA Youth Cup semi-final on Friday and the Premier League Cup Final at Selhurst Park on Wednesday, 22nd April – momentum is key. Palace remain third in the U18 Premier League South, above local rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on 39 points.
Several key U18s, including Walker-Smith, Dean Benamar, Joel Drakes-Thomas and Casey, have also featured for the U21s this season and are expected to return fully to the U18s fold for the major end-of-season fixtures.
Palace’s FAYC Story So Far…
Palace’s journey began at Selhurst Park on a wet December evening with a 3–0 win over Category Three Bradford City. After dominating possession, the breakthrough came when Drakes-Thomas won a penalty, converted by Casey. Stuart Oduro then struck twice from off the bench to seal the win.
In the Fourth Round at Newcastle, Palace impressed again. David Angibeaud opened the scoring before Casey doubled the lead. Despite a Newcastle response, a superb Jack Mason save kept Palace ahead before Angibeaud added a second and Casey also struck again to secure a 4–0 win.
A tougher test followed against high-flying Category Three side Stevenage, where Palace led 2–0 through Oduro and an own goal forced by Casey. Stevenage pulled one back, but Palace held firm for a 2–1 victory and a place in the quarter-finals.
In the last eight, Palace produced a dramatic comeback to beat holders Aston Villa 3–2. After falling behind early, Casey levelled before Villa regained the lead from the spot. A sensational curling effort from Raihaan Anderson and a stoppage-time winner from Chuks Okoli sent Palace into the semi-finals for the first time in nearly three decades.
Palace’s proud FA Youth Cup legacy
Since its introduction in the 1952/53 season, the FA Youth Cup has remained one of the most prestigious competitions in English youth football.
The tournament mirrors the structure of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest domestic cup competition, with clubs across the football pyramid entering qualifying rounds before the professional academies join.
Palace famously lifted the trophy in back-to-back seasons in 1977 and 1978.
That golden generation featured the likes of Vince Hilaire, Kenny Sansom and Terry Fenwick – players who would later form the backbone of the club’s famous ‘Team of the Eighties’.
Our Opponents – Manchester United
Manchester United Under-18s are enjoying a strong first season under Darren Fletcher, sitting top of the U18 Premier League North on 50 points, ahead of Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
The U18 league is split into North and South divisions, with clubs playing home and away within their region. The winners of each are crowned regional champions.
United are also into the Premier League Cup final, which will be played at Selhurst Park on Wednesday, 22nd April.
In the FA Youth Cup, they have beaten Peterborough United (1–0), Derby County (2–1), Oxford United (4–1) and Sunderland (3–2). They enter this tie on a 13-game winning streak across all competitions.
Their last outing saw a 2–0 win over Leeds, with McEvoy and Gabriel both on the scoresheet as United maintained their dominance in the North.
Manchester United & the FA Youth Cup
United are the most successful club in FA Youth Cup history with 11 titles, including a record-breaking run in the 1950s.
Their early dominance came through the legendary “Busby Babes” era under Jimmy Murphy, featuring Duncan Edwards and Eddie Colman. United won five consecutive titles from 1953 to 1957, setting the standard for youth football in England.
In 1964, George Best inspired another triumph, alongside David Sadler, as United defeated Manchester City in a memorable semi-final and went on to win the trophy.
The next golden generation arrived in the 1990s. The Class of ’92 – including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville – famously beat Palace in the 1992 final before dominating English football at senior level.
More recent successes followed in 2003, 2011 and 2022, with players such as Paul Scholes, Jesse Lingard, Ravel Morrison and Alejandro Garnacho all featuring in title-winning squads.
Likely Line-up
Manchester United Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Byrne-Hughes; Helafu, Mills, Kukonki (c), Armer; McCormack, Thwaites; Brown, Gabriel, Ajayi; Obi.
Team News
Cameron Byrne-Hughes is expected to continue in goal after being United’s preferred FA Youth Cup ‘keeper. The back four remains largely settled, with Jacob Watson an alternative to Dan Armer.
Rafe McCormack and Jim Thwaites form the established midfield pivot, while Gabriel operates as the central creative force behind the wide duo of Nathaniel Junior Brown and Noah Ajayi. Chido Obi is expected to return to lead the line after rotation in the league.
Pre-match Analysis
United arrive in outstanding form, unbeaten in 13 consecutive matches. Across their last 15 games, they have conceded just 12 goals while maintaining the best defensive record in the U18 Premier League North.
They have scored 10 goals and conceded four in the FA Youth Cup so far, while Palace have scored 12 and conceded three.
Key Players – JJ Gabriel & Chido Obi
JJ Gabriel has been one of the standout players in youth football this season, cementing his status as one of Europe’s most exciting prospects. The 15-year-old has registered 20 goals and five assists for Manchester United’s U18s across all competitions, while also leading the U18 Premier League scoring charts.
Operating mainly as a free attacking midfielder, Gabriel is central to United’s creativity in the final third. He regularly drops between the lines to dictate play, while also carrying the ball aggressively at defences. He has also added key goals in the FA Youth Cup, reinforcing his ability to deliver in high-pressure knockout games.
Alongside him, Chido Obi provides the physical focal point in attack. The striker has scored 15 goals this season across all youth competitions, including important strikes in the FA Youth Cup during the latter stages of the run.
Obi’s game is built on power, intelligent movement and sharp penalty-box instincts, offering a contrasting threat to Gabriel’s creativity. He has also already been exposed to senior football environments this season after being fast-tracked into first-team contention before returning to academy level for further development.
Together, Gabriel and Obi form the core of United’s attacking threat: one the creator between the lines, the other the finisher in the box. Their partnership has been a key factor in United’s 13-game winning streak and will be central to their ambitions at Old Trafford.
The Gaffer – Darren Fletcher
Darren Fletcher, a Manchester United legend with over 340 appearances for the club, now leads the U18s as part of his progression into senior management.
A product of United’s academy himself, Fletcher came through the same pathway he now oversees, graduating from the youth ranks before becoming a key first-team player under Sir Alex Ferguson.
During his playing career, he won multiple major honours, including the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, and was known for his tactical intelligence, discipline and leadership in midfield.
Since returning to Old Trafford in 2020, Fletcher has taken on a series of coaching and development roles across the academy and first-team environment, steadily building experience as part of his long-term ambition to become a manager.
How to follow
The semi-final will be broadcast LIVE in the UK on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 18:45 BST ahead of a 19:00 BST kick-off.
Supporters can also follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section. Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
Another great way to stay across all the action on matchday is via the official Crystal Palace F.C. app, which delivers goal alerts and key match notifications straight to your phone – keeping you up to date with every major moment.
MATCH DETAILS
Manchester United Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s
- Friday, 17th April
- 19:00 BST
- Old Trafford
- FA Youth Cup semi-final
- LIVE on TNT Sports 2.