Manchester United u21s kicked off their season on Friday night away to Arsenal at Borehamwood FC’s Meadow Park.
Both sides felt each other out in the opening stages with the first real chance falling to Arsenal in the 10th minute when Ismeal Kabia received the ball 14 yards out to shoot but sent it over the bar and out of the stadium.
Kabia found his feet a minute later though when he broke free down the right wing to cross low to Khayon Edwards to slide and tuck in from close range.
Neither side looked particularly threatening throughout the first half with United proving to be the makers of their own demise. In the 34th minute, Elyh Harrison was up field out of his goal and misplaced pass which gave the Arsenal midfielder the chance to chip into the open goal from long range but it fortunately bounced just inches wide.
Shortly after, Harrison looked to make amends with a good save but United couldn’t clear the danger before Michal Rosiak struck hard and low from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
The floodgates opened then with the home side adding their third minutes later. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji dribbled inside from the left wing before finishing inside the box as Tommy Rowe desperately chased behind, unable to keep up with the speed of the play.
United’s misery wasn’t done there though as Arsenal capped off a dismal 10 minutes for United with their fourth just before the half time break.
A cross to Edwards at the back post head was initially stopped on the line by Harry Amass but was then inadvertently knocked in by Harrison falling over.
Into the second half, United looked to make an improvement and couldn’t have started any better with Ethan Ennis pulling one back within a minute of the restart. A ball over the top from James Nolan was easily cut out but a poor headed clearance fell straight to Ennis to run through on goal and expertly finish past Brian Okonkwo.
Ethan Wheatley then looked to cause some havoc as he danced past two Arsenal defenders into the box but the area was too congested and he lost possession as he attempted to knock it past the third.
An off the ball encounter saw Ethan Williams see straight red on the hour mark. It was a boiling over point as the match had witnessed a number of off the ball wrestling bouts despite lacking the same aggression in the football.
With an extra man and three goals ahead, Arsenal cruised through much of the second half until late on when Amass found Wheatley in the box to turn and finish past the keeper.
There is a quick turn around for Travis Binnion’s side as they now take on Barnsley in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
United: Harrison, Nolan (McAllister 73), Aljofree, Fredricson, Amass, Rowe, Curley (Jackson 81), Williams, Mather (Sharpe 63), Ennis (Ogunneye 63), Wheatley
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