New Headline: Arsenal’s Promising Young Guns Fail to Win Youth Cup Final by Surprise Defeat

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Harrison Miles of Manchester City is challenged by Melvin Matos of Everton during the FA Youth Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Everton at Joie Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images) | Getty Images One of the better Everton Youth teams in recent years came up against arguably the best Under 18 team in the country on Friday night in Manchester with the prize of a FA Youth Cup semi final place up for grabs. The Blues lined up as below with a very nicely balanced 4-3-3 formation: View Link If the reverse scoreline of 0-3 makes you think this was one-way traffic and Everton were put to the sword, you could not be more wrong.

Quite simply in the first 45 minutes the Toffees were undoubtedly the better team. No argument. In very wet conditions, Keith Southern’s team pressed high and didn’t allow City time to play the ball out from the back.

When they did manage to beat the press City’s attacks were regularly blunted by the Blues’ #6 and, for me, comfortably the man of the match, Melvin Matos. Time after time he intercepted the ball in front of the Toffees’ backline and played it simply to one of his team-mates. His performance was one that mixed Idrissa Gueye with N’Golo Kante, he was that good.

Everton, in their change strip of pastel yellow, swarmed all over City and after 10 minutes, Braiden Graham (below) had his shot deflected narrowly over the bar and from the resulting corner, young Harlow McEveley saw his header tipped over. View Link Louis Poland chose the wrong option to shoot from a narrow angle and then Olayiwola saw his strong shot saved and Ceiran Loney was narrowly wide after good right wing play by 16 year old Shea Pita. Blues’ ‘keeper Douglass Lukjanciks did have to be on his toes for a few saves and was thankful a fumble could only be directed against the post in the 22nd minute.