- Derby date now confirmed
- Another Joie Stadium test awaits
- Academy spotlight grows this week
Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad now know when their next major test will arrive, with another important night at the Joie Stadium now ahead.
Man City’s academy sides are heading into a significant period across competitions. The Citizens U21 squad reached the semi-finals of Premier League 2 after defeating Aston Villa.
The U18s side, on the other hand, will be preparing for their FA Youth Cup final. After scoring four against Blackburn, Oliver Reiss’ side are set for a derby final.
With both fixtures tied to the Joie Stadium, the venue will play an important role in the final stretch of the academy’s season.
Man City confirm Man United PL2 play-off fixture
Man City have confirmed that their Premier League 2 play-off clash against Man United will take place on Friday, 8th May.
The fixture is set to kick off at 19:00 UK time at the Joie Stadium, giving City the home advantage. Likewise, the U21s side will be looking to take another step towards the final.
The play-off format of the competition leaves little room for error. City will need to deliver in a derby fixture as United will arrive with the same motivation.
Man United played Crystal Palace in the quarter final, winning comfortably with a scoreline of 2-0. Daniel Armer scored the first of the day, with Chido Obi sealed the deal in the second half.
The previous round was a different show for Man City. They won 3-2 against Aston Villa as Mahamadou Sangaré, Floyd Samba and Kaden Braithwaite made the scoresheet.
City’s semi-final may come down to control after Villa warning
Despite showing grit and character, City’s U21 side was also unstable against Aston Villa. Conceding inside two minutes shows that Ben Wilkinson’s side can be exposed at the start of key phases.
City also conceded shortly after half-time, further proving the point. A knockout derby adds more pressure, and the youngsters will have to take control from the start.
Manchester United scored first and then protected the game well to net a second in the latter half. Managing the same against Man City will raise problems for the home side.
United threat gives City a clear defensive problem to solve
Man City will have to manage the penalty box in the semi-final. United were pretty clever in using a cheap first contact to take an early lead against Crystal Palace.
Dan Armer’s opener against the Eagles came from a second-ball situation. A set-piece situation wasn’t dealt with cleanly, resulting in the first netting of the day.
Chido Obi later gave United the finishing touch to kill the game. These are the types of threats that can push Man City to make early errors in the semi-final.
The first 20 minutes will be key, and if they can avoid early-game looseness, City should have enough technical quality to have the advantage on Friday.
