Premier league

JJ Gabriel is already the youngest person to play for Manchester United’s Under-18 team.

He is also the youngest person to play in an unofficial game with United’s first team.

The 15-year-old striker appeared set to become the youngest person to play in an official game with United’s first team. The club plays Brighton in an English League Cup game Wednesday.

But seems unlikely to happen at this point — not after Gabriel has requested to be let out of his youth registration with the club immediately to become a free agent. Gabriel is under contract with United until the end of the current season in May.

United remains hopeful it can retain the young star, a person with knowledge of the situation but unauthorized to comment told the Associated Press.

According to the BBC, Gabriel did not train with the team late last week “amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United.” The publication also states that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox “are directly involved in discussions with the player’s family, which underlines how seriously the club [regards] the situation.”

If United declines Gabriel’s request, the matter could ultimately be decided by the Premier League.

Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, was a defender who played for Arsenal, mainly in the lower leagues, and briefly for Ireland’s national team.

Born in London on Oct. 6, 2010, Gabriel first gained wide attention — and the nickname “Kid Messi,” after global soccer legend Lionel Messi — as an 8-year-old youth player showing his skills in a YouTube video posted by SV2 in 2019. It has been viewed more than 5 million times.

After playing for youth academies such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Chelsea, Gabriel signed with Manchester United at age 11. He was 14 years, 6 months and 1 day old when he scored two goals in his U-18 debut, a 13-1 victory against Leeds on April 5, 2025.

Gabriel went on to score 20 goals in only 21 appearances and was named the U-18 Premier League player of the year. He also became the youngest player to be named Manchester United’s academy player of the year. Making his UEFA Youth League debut last week, Gabriel netted a hat trick during a 5-0 victory over Sabah.

On Aug. 1, Gabriel made his first appearance with United’s first team, playing eight minutes during a preseason game against Atlético Madrid. He was 15 years, 9 months and 26 days old. The youngest Manchester United first-team player in an official game is David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he first appeared for the club on Oct. 24, 1956.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MANCHESTER, England: Pep Guardiola’s departure was expected to shift the balance of power in Manchester.

The early signs suggest otherwise.

For the first time in 10 years on Sunday, Manchester United goes into the derby against a Manchester City no longer guided by the genius of Guardiola.

Yet, if City wins at Old Trafford, the team of new manager Enzo Maresca would open a 12-point lead on United only four rounds into the Premier League.

Even this early in the campaign that would be a huge gap for United to make up.

While City is still getting used to change at the top after a decade of Guardiola, United has endured a carousel of managers at the same time in a desperate bid to return it to former glories.

Michael Carrick is the seventh permanent manager since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013.

United fans will hope Guardiola’s exit will prove as profound as Ferguson’s. United has not won the Premier League since Ferguson’s final season in charge.

In theory, Guardiola’s exit has removed the biggest barrier standing in the way of United’s route back to the top following his dominance of English soccer. Though he left without the title in his last two seasons, his run of six league crowns in seven years underlined City’s supremacy for the majority of his time at the club.

It would be asking a lot for Maresca — or anyone else for that matter — to emulate that level of success. Maresca, however, could not have made a better start to the season after a 100% winning record in the league and victory in City’s opening Champions League game this week.

Erling Haaland also looks at the top of his game with five goals in his last three appearances.

It’s been a different story for United after its resurgence under Carrick in the second half of last season led to a third place finish.

The opening day defeat to newly promoted Hull was an early blow. There was a win against another newcomer in Ipswich but a 2-2 draw at Everton after leading twice.

It is the type of inconsistency that has hindered United throughout the post-Ferguson years and something Carrick will need to quickly stamp out.

He has recent good memories of the derby. His first match in charge when appointed as Ruben Amorim’s replacement was a 2-0 win against City in Guardiola’s final Manchester derby.

Key matchups

The Manchester derby is the big one of the weekend, with pressure on United to get the season going, while it would be a first statement win for Maresca at City. Defending champion Arsenal is at Sunderland on Saturday.

Players to watch

Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is in outstanding form with four goals in five games in all competitions. Haaland also has five goals and looks unstoppable.

Out of action

Cody Gakpo missed Liverpool’s game against Atletico Madrid because of an adductor issue. Bradley Barcola limped out of that match after appearing to hurt his calf, but coach Andoni Iraola said it was cramp.

Off the field

Manchester United fans plan to stage a protest ahead of the derby in opposition to a clampdown by the club on ticket touting.

The 1958 supporters group claims “loyal, generational” fans are being sanctioned or banned “without, clear and compelling evidence.”

United says its investigation has “uncovered significant and organized touting”.