FA Youth Cup: Chelsea production line ticking over nicely as kids lift the cup again

Chelsea 2 Manchester City 1; Chelsea win 5-2 on aggregate:

Tammy Abraham, left, celebrates after scoring Chelsea’s second goal in their victory over Manchester City (PA)

It is unlikely to be the highlight of Chelsea’s week, but there were still celebrations at Stamford Bridge as their youngsters retained the FA Youth Cup, winning it for the fourth time in six years.

The first-team squad are all at St George’s Park, preparing for Tuesday night’s Premier League game at Leicester City, which could move them to within touching distance of the title. Chelsea’s teenagers, then, had to make do with being watched by the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, instead.

Chelsea’s Under-19s team completed their two-legged win over Manchester City with a comfortable 2-1 win. That made it 5-2 on aggregate, a scoreline which reflected the precocious nous, composure and maturity of this group of youngsters.

There is no doubt that this Chelsea team is exceptionally well prepared to win this competition. Last season, they beat Fulham 7-6 over two legs, scoring an implausible three goals in the last 12 minutes at Stamford Bridge to snatch the trophy.

This tie was far less dramatic. City were briefly ahead on the night, but 3-2 down on aggregate, and at no point did Jason Wilcox’s side look like they could overturn Chelsea’s first-leg advantage. The home side were always too sharp and too strong.

In part, this must be because of their experience in the competition. Eight of Joe Edwards’ starters last night were involved in the second leg last year, which says something for the talent identification of the Chelsea academy. While City’s teenagers looked, especially in the first leg, slightly overawed by the occasion, that was never the case with Chelsea.

Dominic Solanke, leading the line for Chelsea, played with the confident assurance of a young man who has already made his Champions League debut. He played in the FA Youth Cup final last year, often trains with the first team and scores stacks of goals for the youth teams here. Last night, he was excellent, bullying City’s centre-backs Cameron Humphrys Grant and Tosin Adarabioyo.

Chelsea’s second goal, the goal that effectively finished the tie, was set up by Solanke. In the first minute after the re-start, Izzy Brown cut in from the left wing and passed inside to Solanke, who slotted a perfect ball through to Tammy Abraham, who darted in between Adarabioyo and Jose Tasende and nudged the ball past Christian Kjetil Haug.

The twin wing threats of Brown and Abraham were too much for City. While Abraham was even more impressive in Manchester, Brown had the better game last night. He has a big frame and a burst of pace, but he is also an intelligent mover and City’s ex-Barcelona right-back, Pablo Maffeo, could not keep track of him.

It was Brown who scored the first goal, towering at the far-post to meet Charlie Colkett’s header and put the ball into the net.

City’s threat lasted only for a brief period of the first half. They took the lead on the night when Brandon Barker slipped a pass out to Aron Nemane, whose cross at the near post was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.

Jose Mourinho has spoken enthusiastically about Solanke and Ruben Loftus-Cheek – who did not play last night – all season. He used Loftus-Cheek in training the week before last, playing the role of Marouane Fellaini, to prepare his team for the game against Manchester United.

At youth level, as with the senior side, Chelsea are the best in the country and the club’s success in the competition means there are plenty of youngsters in the game who have won this trophy playing for this club: Nathan Ake, Josh McEachran, Nathaniel Chalobah and many more.

Not many of them, though, have established themselves in the Chelsea first-team. Whether this new and exciting generation can remains to be seen.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Collins; Aina, Tomori, Clarke-Salter, DaSilva; Colkett, Musonda; Abraham (Sammutt, 67), Boga, Brown; Solanke.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Kjetil Haug; Maffeo, Humphrys Grant, Adarabioyo, Tasande; Bryan, Celina; Nemane, Wood (Alonso, 67), Barker; Iheanacho (Buckley-Ricketts, 71).