'Fantastic occasion' - Manchester United looking to create history with Chido Obi-Martin this season
Manchester United will take on Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup fifth round on Wednesday night.
United's Under-18s won 4-2 against Preston North End in the previous round and Chido Obi-Martin scored a brace, but Chelsea are expected to provide a sterner test at Leigh Sports Village.
The U18s easily brushed aside Coventry City 5-0 in the opening game of the competition, and U18 manager Adam Lawrence has a talented side that is capable of winning the Youth Cup.
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The likes of Obi-Martin, Gabriele Biancheri, Amir Ibragimov, Jack Fletcher and Harry Amass have featured in the campaign so far, and Lawrence is hoping to guide United to extend their rich history in the Youth Cup, as they have won the competition more times (11) than any other club.
Chelsea have won the Youth Cup nine times and have a tremendous record of producing young players at Cobham, which means Wednesday's clash should be an excellent contest.
“It’s going to be a fantastic occasion,” Lawrence told club media. "They’re the nights that the lads are working for over the years, to be able to play in that type of fixture in the Youth Cup.
"We had the benefit of playing Chelsea in pre-season, as well as at the back end of last season in the national final. We know we’re coming up against a good side.
“Being at Leigh gives us some rhythm and consistency. We’ve done well in the two games there so far. It’s our home, having the fans there will be great and we’ll be hoping to put in a performance we can be proud of on Wednesday.”
United last won the Youth Cup in 2021/22 against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford and that special team included the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Dan Gore.
There have been early comparisons made between the current U18 crop and the Class of '22, and Obi-Martin will provide the firepower for United to go all the way in the competition.
Tickets are available for the FA Youth Cup fifth-round meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday (19:00 GMT).
For those who can’t attend at Leigh Sports Village, the game will be shown live on MUTV.