United top Academy scorers chart in 2023/24

There were many reasons to be proud for Manchester United’s Academy when Erik ten Hag’s side overcame a very difficult obstacle at a fired-up Everton, winning 3-0 on Sunday afternoon.

Alejandro Garnacho‘s acrobatics were sensational in every way but the strike also meant he became the fourth member of our youth system to score in the Premier League this term, after already hitting the net in the Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace.

Marcus Rashford was also among the goals, converting a second-half penalty with aplomb, while Kobbie Mainoo made his first Premier League start in midfield and earned our Man of the Match award.

Hannibal, another of our league scorers this season, came off the bench late on, while Joe Hugill was a substitute at Premier League level for the first time.

Watch Garnacho’s overhead kick Video

Watch Garnacho’s overhead kick

Alejandro’s stunning acrobatic effort against Everton will be talked about for years to come…

Scott McTominay has three goals in the league, including that late double against Brentford, and we would have had five different Academy graduates on the mark, had Jonny Evans’s effort at Burnley not been disallowed after a VAR review.

The record compares favourably with the other clubs and any research shows just how difficult it is for Academy players to break into the top-flight teams and make the desired impact.

Brighton & Hove Albion come closest with three – Lewis Dunk, Solly March (who came as a teenager from Lewes) and Evan Ferguson. The only other club to have more than one Academy scorer is Arsenal, thanks to Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that a number of our former Academy graduates have also managed to hit the net during this Premier League campaign.

Teden Mengi bagged his first senior goal, for Luton Town at the weekend, and his team-mate Tahith Chong memorably scored against Liverpool recently. Sunday’s opponent James Garner is also on the list, along with Andreas (Fulham), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) and Danny Welbeck (Brighton & Hove Albion).

Everton’s Jack Harrison and Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill were with United at schoolboy level and Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie represented our Under-18s in the 2013 Milk Cup but was still part of Bradford City’s Academy.

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