The line-up for the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup is now complete, after Aston Villa became the fourth and final team to advance in the competition, beating Plymouth Argyle 3-0 in the quarter-final.
The Villains, who will host Manchester United in the semi-finals, hit the Pilgrims where it hurt right before the break as Birmingham-born Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba opened the scoring with half time fast approaching.
Fresh off the back of his England men's under-17s call-up for the Young Lions' EURO U17 qualifiers later this month, forward Brad Burrowes doubled the Villains' lead at Villa Park.
⚽️ Jamal Jimoh-Aloba
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) March 14, 2025
⚽️ Brad Burrowes
⚽️ Cole Brannigan
Highlights of our Young Lions' #FAYouthCup quarter-final victory against Plymouth Argyle are out now on VillaTV 📺
Plymouth had enjoyed an impressive cup run to the quarter-finals, shocking Everton last time out to book their place in the last eight, but it was about to come to an end in the West Midlands.
With 73 minutes played, Cole Brannigan all but secured Villa's place in the semi-finals as the youngster marked his goal with Cole Palmer's trademark celebration to make it 3-0 which was how it finished.
Meanwhile, Manchester United sealed their place in the FA Youth Cup semi-final after a thrilling 3-2 extra-time win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
After a high-energy start to the tie, it was United who opened the scoring ten minutes before half time, when Jack Fletcher curled home a fine strike from the corner of the area.
But the hosts hit back just before the break, when a direct pass forward from defender Will Sweet sent Louis Copley through on goal and he lifted a deft finish over United ‘keeper William Murdock.
Arsenal took the lead in the second half, when the impressive Max Dowman was brought down in the area by Reece Munro for a penalty. The youngster stepped up himself to put his team 2-1 up.
It was United’s turn to bounce back next, when Jaydan Kamason collected the ball just outside the area on the right before firing an effort across goal to make it 2-2 and take the game to extra time.
United weren’t finished and in the eighth minute of extra time, Bendito Mantato got on the end of Samuel Lusale's cross from close range to hand the visitors the lead again with what proved to be the winner.
Arsenal ended the match with ten players, when Sweet was shown a red card following a desperate lunge to bring down Kamason as United pressed for a fourth.
United will now take on the winner of the remaining semi-final tie between Aston Villa and Plymouth Argyle, which is scheduled for Friday 14 March.
The previous night saw United's rivals and FA Youth Cup defending champions Manchester City book their place in the semi-finals for the third season running after hitting West Bromwich Albion for six.
Oliver Reiss' side beat Leeds United – the team they overcame in the fifth round this year – 4-0 in last year's showpiece in front of 20,000 fans at the Etihad and they are now just a game away from making it through to the Final once again.
City extended their perfect start to the calendar year in a 6-0 triumph at the Hawthorns, making it eight wins on the spin so far in 2025. And midfielder Finlay Gorman took home the match ball after bagging a hat-trick on the night.
Goals from Matty Warhurst, Stephen Mfuni and Gorman had the holders 3-0 up and cruising at half time. Warhurst made the breakthrough in the 36th minute as City's pressure paid off before Mfuni doubled their lead.
And England youth international Gorman added a third on the stroke of half time – the first of his three goals.
FULL-TIME | Semi-finals bound 👊
— Manchester City Academy (@ManCityAcademy) February 27, 2025
⚪️ 0-6 🤎 #ManCity | #FAYouthCup pic.twitter.com/Fm6bUpJxpG
However, they weren't finished there. In the second half, Gorman doubled his tally around ten minutes after the restart with a delightful curling effort.
Teenage forward Reigan Heskey added to the growing scoreline just two minutes later to make it a five-star performance for Reiss' team, who were now within touching distance of the semi-final, in the West Midlands.
Gorman completed his treble in injury time, marking his first hat-trick for the club since joining City's academy from Leeds in 2023, capping off a night to remember for the 16 year old.
Meanwhile, Watford sealed their spot in the semi-final on Tuesday evening after seeing off Southampton by 2-1 at Vicarage Road.
Having already beaten Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round, Matt Bevans’ U18 Hornets have developed a taste for knocking out higher-ranked academy teams.
And they were quickly out of the traps in this tie as Nickson Okosun opened the scoring in the twelfth minute after latching onto a pass down the left before cutting back inside and firing home.
With the momentum seemingly going in Watford’s favour, they could’ve doubled their lead but for a smart save from Saints ‘keeper Dylan Moody, before the visitors found a way back into the game.
The warning signs had already been there for Watford, and with half time approaching Saints levelled things up as dangerman Baylee Dipepa took a shot from the edge of the area which forced home ‘keeper Sam Morris into a save.
The ball ran into the path of Nick Oyekunle, who finished from close range to make it 1-1 at the break.
Both teams spent the second half looking for a winner and with the prospect of extra-time, it was Watford who found a winner through Zavier Massiah-Edwards. An attacking throw-in was knocked down by Okosun, with Massiah-Edwards arriving perfectly to fire home the winner past Moody.
The remaining FA Youth Cup quarter-final tie between Villa and Plymouth will be exclusively live-streamed, with more details on how to watch here.
