Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has expressed his disappointment with the decision to play Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final against the Red Devils.
Michael Carrick is disappointed (Image: Ash Donelon, Manchester United via Getty Images)
Michael Carrick has admitted he was “disappointed” by Manchester City’s decision to host the FA Youth Cup final against Manchester United at the Gioa Stadium rather than the 53,000-capacity Etihad.
The two clubs’ academy teams will meet next Thursday in the first Manchester Derby Youth Cup final in 40 years, but City insist the first team’s ground will not be available as they aim to complete redevelopment work on the North Stand.
United proposed holding the match at Old Trafford, but City, wanting to maintain home advantage, declined the offer. The match will be played at the 7,000-capacity ground, a training facility that will now be used for academy and women’s matches.
The decision drew criticism from United supporters’ groups, with only 968 tickets for the final allocated to the away team. Mr Carrick has now expressed his disappointment.
“To be honest, it’s disappointing. When you get to the Youth Cup final, you always think of it as playing in the main stadium and it’s a very showcase event for players in that age group,” he said. “That’s why we’re disappointed.
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“I think we had some great memories, some of the best, in this tournament playing with some of our closest mates. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t work out for whatever reason. But listen, it’s a great game and a great opportunity for the boys to go there.”
“I’m sure the game itself will be a good one, so I’m looking forward to going and cheering.”
Carrick has been a keen supporter of United’s academy side since taking over as first-team head coach in January. He regularly attends Youth Cup matches, making the six-hour round trip to Oxford for the fifth round match at Kassam Stadium.
JJ Gabriel scores for Man United in the FA Youth Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace (Image: Alex Livesey, Getty Images)
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United have drawn at home in every other round this season, with all of those games taking place at Old Trafford. Carrick also scored in West Ham’s 9-0 win over Coventry City in 1999, so he knows what it takes to perform in a Youth Cup final.
United last reached the final in 2022, when more than 67,000 supporters packed into Old Trafford to watch United beat Nottingham Forest. Carrick attended the game as a fan and saw firsthand what it meant to the young players. The frustration of missed opportunities this season has only deepened.
“I went to that game, the Forest game, and it was a special, special night to see the stadium full for a game like that,” he said.
“It was the kind of thing you really wanted, but it is what it is and as far as I know there’s nothing that can be done about it. It’s kind of an agreement and hopefully as the year progresses we can switch to the main stadium.”
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