16 April 2007
VIDEO: Final, first leg - Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United

Liverpool make a great start at Anfield but an own goal and Hewson's penalty give United the advantage.

Liverpool

1(2)v(2)0

Manchester United

Threlfall 51

Liverpool won 4-3 on penalties
The FA Youth Cup Final, Sponsored by E.ON
Second Leg
7.45pm, Thursday 26 April 2007
Old Trafford

Manchester United coach Paul McGuinness is sure that the agony of losing out on The FA Youth Cup at Old Trafford will spur his young players on to improve their game and come back stronger next season.

After winning at Anfield in the first leg, it seemed that United were on course to lift a record tenth Youth Cup in front of a fantastic crowd at Old Trafford, but with Liverpool sending the tie to penalties it was not to be and Steve Heighway was able to celebrate a second successive triumph.

McGuinness admitted his disappointment with the result, but was proud of the way his team had played right through the competition this season.

"Penalties are that bit of a lottery, but one thing we can say is that we've not been beaten over the two legs," McGuinness reflected.

"We've had a great run through the competition, and we can be very proud of that, if not the final performance.

"I think we showed a lack of experience really, they had the experience of last season and they played a bit more like a professional side and we played a bit like a schoolboy side at times, with not enough performers playing under the spotlight."

One man who will be suffering is captain Sam Hewson who had the misfortune of missing the decisive kick in front of the Stretford End, a role reversal from the first leg where he put United ahead with a penalty facing an intimidating Kop. But McGuinness says that Hewson can be pleased with what he has shown this season.

"He can certainly be proud of all his performances in this tournament, all the way through, he is one of the more experienced players and he showed a little more class tonight. One or two are younger and we have some schoolboys playing, so I'm sure they'll learn from that experience.

"It's absolute agony on the touchline, as I said it was more like a schoolboy game for us at times, there were a lot of basic mistakes and things you look for players to do well. But then you get those moments of excitement, I think in the first half Welbeck and Brandy did well, without really getting to a finish. Obviously the chance for Febian when he went through on the keeper was a key moment, but all in all I think they just shaded it.

"We missed the experience of Craig Cathcart at the back to start our attacks, Tom Cleverly is another natural ball-player at the back and we missed the composed play to start our moves going forward."

Despite the defeat McGuinness is confident that his players, many of whom are young enough to compete again next season, will come back stronger than ever.

"That has been the message in the dressing room to all the lads, this is about experience. It's shown tonight that they weren't quite ready, so they have to go and hone their skills so that when they get the chance again everything will come automatically and they can handle it. They'll be back."