While the senior Manchester United team is currently struggling, the Manchester United youths just recorded their 11th FA Youth Cup title in front of record-breaking more than 67,000 fans.
There is no doubt of record-breaking crowds in a final of a sports tournament, especially in football. But if the same record-breaking crowd appears in a Youth Cup final, it is definitely special for that level.
FA Youth Cup 2022 final: Total attendance was 67,492
The FA Youth Cup 2022 final experienced its largest attendance with the official number of 67,492 at Old Trafford (Manchester). The previous largest attendance record in this 70-year-old tournament history was more than 38,000 at Arsenal back in 2007.
One of the biggest reasons for the latest record-breaking attendance in the live FA Youth Cup 2022 final was the presence of Manchester United youths. The Manchester United U18 team welcomed the Nottingham Forest U18 team in the final of this tournament last Wednesday (11th May).
Winning that game by a 3-1 margin, Manchester United youths extended their record of winning most FA Youth Cup titles to 11. Also, it was their first FA Youth Cup trophy in the last ten years as they previously won the FA Youth Cup final in 2011 when the final was following the double-leg format.
Since the 2018/19 edition, the FA Youth Cup final follows a single-leg format, like the latest season. The first-time tournament finalist Nottingham Forest youths fought really hard in that final, but they were unlucky to create new history in this tournament.
Rhys Bennett scored once and Alejandro Garnacho scored twice for Manchester United youths
Captain Rhys Bennett’s header from the following free-kick helped Manchester United youths to take the 1-0 lead in just 13 minutes of the game after the opponent goalie failed to stop the header.
Just two minutes ahead of the first 45 minutes, Nottingham Forest levelled the scoreline due to another goalkeeping mistake. The Red Devils’ youth goalie failed to hold Joshua Powell’s low shot which led to the equalizer goal.
Manchester United youths regained the lead of the game in a controversial manner. Forest youths had a mistake in defence as Alejandro Garnacho got the licence to attack. While the young Argentine-Spanish footballer was fouled just outside the box, the referee Josh Smith mistakenly awarded a penalty to the Red Devils. Garnacho made no mistake to make the scoreline 2-1 in 78 minutes.
In the fourth minute of the final stoppage time, the Red Devils sealed their historic title after Garnacho fantastically scored his second goal of the match. He was unstoppable in the box as his well-judged shot deflected the opposition defender to enter the goal.
In the list of winning most FA Youth Cup titles, Chelsea youths are behind Manchester youths with nine trophies. Arsenal youths are in the third spot in the same table with seven trophies.
