Manchester United beat Liverpool 9-1 in their Under-18 Premier League clash on Saturday.

United striker Ethan Wheatley scored a 57-minute hat-trick for the visitors, with ex-Derby youth product James Scanlon also grabbing a brace in a big win at Liverpool’s academy ground in Kirkby.

Liverpool head coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson was missing eight of the team that beat Arsenal 7-1 in the FA Cup Youth Cup just two months ago and those absentees were keenly felt.

Scanlon put his side ahead inside the first minute of the game before Wheatley doubled their lead 10 minutes later.

Wheatley added his second just three minutes later, before midfielder Ethan Williams found the net to put United 4-0 up midway through the first half.

FT: Liverpool 1-9 United U18s

A brilliant performance and result for the #MUAcademy 👏 #MUFC || #U18PL pic.twitter.com/lmTZTIGNED

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 6, 2024

Liverpool’s Joe Bradshaw, 15, scored what proved to be his side’s only goal of the game to make it 4-1 at the break.

United added five more goals in the second half to complete a famous 9-1 victory over their bitter rivals.

The result keep United top of the Premier League Group North, 13 points clear of near neighbours Manchester City.

The senior teams go head-to-head at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

‘Result should not come as much of a shock’

Analysis from Mark Critchley

Anyone who has been keeping an eye on United’s under-18s this season will not be especially surprised that Adam Lawrence’s side have yet another win under their belts.

And given how well they’ve been going, even the scale of this victory over a usually competitive Liverpool side should not come as much of a shock.

This is one of the more talented crops to come through together at Carrington in recent years, led by captain Finley McAllister — a regular in United away ends this season — and with today’s hat-trick hero Ethan Wheatley up top.

Wheatley’s three goals were expertly taken finishes, while James Scanlon — who recently won his first senior international caps for Gibraltar — came away with two of his own.

United are now 13 points clear at the top of the Under-18s North table, although second-placed City have two games in hand, and the two will meet in the Premier League U18 Cup final later this month.

Winning trophies always comes second to player development at youth level but United will hope to edge out their neighbours in both competitions over the next few weeks to make this a memorable season.

GO DEEPER

The Manchester United team top of their league and dreaming of cup glory

(John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)