Gabriel and McEvoy both hit doubles as Man Utd U18s smash Liverpool 4-1

Highly-rated youngster JJ Gabriel hits a double as Manchester United's U18s smashed Liverpool 4-1.

Jay McEvoy also got a brace in a comfortable win at Carrington in the U18 Premier League.

While Gabriel's double means he has 22 goals across 22 games for the United academy.

They showed the way for the first-team side who will be looking for a similar result on Sunday against their Merseyside rivals at Old Trafford.

A defensive mix-up saw Joe Bradshaw pull a goal back for the visitors in the U18 clash at 2-1 before United ran away with the game.

Gabriel made it three from the spot after Amir Ibragimov was fouled, before he added another in the latter stages.

Noah Ajayi was set free by Jim Thwaites inside the first minute, as Fletcher's side looked to assert early dominance.

The German pulled the ball back across the face of goal for striker Louie Bradbury, only for his effort to sail wide.

But then Rafe McCormack picked out Junior Brown with a superb forward pass, before he played a tidy first-time ball into McEvoy, who smashed in at near post.

It was just rewards for the early work, with McEvoy doing well to find a neat pocket of space before finishing strongly.

La'more Lee Forrester tried to get his side level as he darted down the flank before hitting the byline and he was stopped well by McEvoy.

Thwaites picked out McEvoy again following a free-kick, who made it two, netting again after half an hour played.

The visitors could have pulled a goal back before the interval, with Forrester and Aiden Yeguo both going close but United went in at half time with two goal cushion.

Brown raced through on goal, as the second half began, following James Overy's long, looping pass. Cleared initially by Bailey Hall, McEvoy followed up with a shot that was easily held.

The same man was at it again, Brown, as he earned a free-kick right on the edge of the box after Hall had handed him possession.

Fouled by Harvey Owen, Thwaites took the free-kick, but after another follow-up effort, couldn't hit the target.

But with just over an hour gone, Haydn Murray-Holme's corner wasn't dealt with by either Bradbury or Cameron Byrne-Hughes, leaving Bradshaw the easiest of tasks to tap in for 2-1.

Both teams rang in the changes and United began to dominate again.

First, Ibragimov was hauled down inside the box by Murray-Holme, after a neat move involving him and fellow sub Samuel Lusale.

Gabriel assumed responsibility, sending Hall the wrong way, before adding one more to his tally at Carrington.

It was the same pair, Ibragimov to Gabriel, before the latter raced through on goal, delicately finishing for his brace and our final goal of the game.