Man Utd and Chelsea played out an enthralling FA Youth Cup tie at Leigh Sports Village that was dominated by the magnificent Mason Greenwood.
Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna were in attendance, as was Ed Woodward. Jose Mourinho was missing and missed out on another Mason Greenwood masterclass.
Greenwood, not content with a mere warm-up in the Mestalla last week, reiterated his class with an opportunistic seventh-minute finish made possible by Chelsea 'keeper Karlo Ziger's ill-judged Cruyff turn. Greenwood collected the loose pass, feinted to cross and arrowed the ball in for his 20th goal in 19 starts across the junior teams. His confidence was such he attempted to inflict further embarrassment on Ziger with a strike from the halfway line.
As the first-half entered injury time and the ball was dead, Chelsea's Jack Wakely was wary. "Mark him," he ordered, pointing to Greenwood. The pre-season exposure and Valencia experience have ensured his reputation reaches well beyond the boundaries of Greater Manchester.
Greenwood's figurehead force extends beyond his goalscoring. "Neil," he called to Under-18s coach Ryan. "We need more in midfield." That is some gall from a teenager speaking to his superior and the son of Busby Babe Jimmy. Ryan did not bat an eyelid and made a tactical change at half-time as James Garner moved back into midfield.
Even when a melee sparked between both sets of players, Greenwood stood back and despaired at the puerile argy-bargy, spreading his arms, wondering why they would get invovled. That level of maturity is apparent even at the callow age of a teenager who would be in Year 12 at school but for his fleet feet.
Wakely's commands became more brutal as Thierno Ballo and Tariq Lamptey took turns to soften up Greenwood. That gifted United a 65th minute free-kick that was scrambled in by the imposing Di'Shon Bernard to put Chelsea's 30-game unbeaten Youth Cup run in jeopardy. Bernard then blemished his night with a second yellow card that forced Ryan to move Garner back to centre half.
Greenwood completed his terrific treble with that trademark arrowed finish before the mayhem began. Anthony Elanga conceded a penalty that Faustino Anjorin and within seconds of the restart United gifted Daishawn Redan a goal and the scoreline switched from 4-1 to 4-3 within two minutes.
"Come on boys," Mancunians roared as Teden Mengi executed a crunching tackle and the United bench nervously awaited the fourth official's electronic board. Mengi was there to block another cross. Five added minutes were signalled. The daring D'Mani Mellor saw a shot trickle against the post. Free-kicks and goal kicks were celebrated as the clock ticked down. Finally the whistle blew.
Mourinho missed out on history.