Manchester United Under-18s made it eight straight victories on Saturday – with one man in particular catching the eye once again.
Neil Ryan’s youngsters beat Blackburn Rovers 4-3 in a pulsating encounter, in which Charlie McNeill added another two goals to his scoring tally this season.
The 17-year-old switched from Manchester City to United in September and has hit an impressive eight goals in nine games since his move.
Another two came away to Blackburn – along with one from Noam Emeran – to have United 3-0 up and in control at half-time.
Rovers rallied after the break, though, and a Zak Gilsenan hat-trick restored parity with 10 minutes to go.
Charlie Savage, son of former midfielder Robbie Savage, notched the winner two minutes from time with a close-range finish, a victory which moves United six points clear of Liverpool at the top of the U18 Premier League North.
After his first-half brace continued his fine start to life in the red half of Manchester, it was McNeill who was the talk of the United fans after the game, with fans keen to see his form rewarded with a senior call-up further down the line.
McNeill showcased his predatory instincts in the box with the opening two goals of the game, capitalising on a defensive error on the edge of the box to fire past Felix Goddard within a minute.
His second came after 36 minutes, when McNeill reacted quickest to a loose ball and the box and dispatched clinically.
