Manchester United will be dressed in their smart black suits when they arrive at the Emirates to face Arsenal. The youngsters are looking to reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and Friday night's game against Arsenal in their own backyard promises to be an enthralling encounter.
United have won the Youth Cup more than any other club and there is a growing confidence the Class of '25 can extend the club's rich history in the prestigious academy competition.
Adam Lawrence has stacks of talent at his disposal and the U18s have easily brushed aside Coventry City, Preston North End and Chelsea on their way to the competition's last-eight.
READ MORE: Two Treble winners set for Manchester United return as announcement made
READ MORE: Andre Onana breaks silence after Manchester United mistakes vs Ipswich Town
Coventry were hammered 5-0 in December, Preston suffered a 5-2 defeat a month later and Chelsea were beaten 5-1 in February. The U18s suffered a shock defeat to Swindon Town in the early rounds of last season's Youth Cup and have seemed determined to make amends.
They have certainly done that - and then some. They have been a cut above the opposition they have faced so far and made lightwork of beating Chelsea after conceding the first goal.
Preston put up the biggest fight and threatened to come back after being 4-0 down at half-time. The Lancashire club scored twice in quick succession in the second half and would have been just one goal away from equalising if not for some outstanding saves from William Murdock.
United head into the quarter-finals against Arsenal having been relatively unchallenged, but the Gunners aren't expected to be shot down as easily in front of 10,000 fans at the Emirates.
Having said that, Arsenal's U18s are in the bottom half of their southern youth league and United will be quietly confident they can claim another victory to progress in the competition.
United cannot become complacent, and they won't, but they have some of the best talent in the country at U18 level. They won a historical treble last season and although some of the older players from that team have stepped up or left on loan, some are still part of the squad.
The likes of Harry Amass, Jaydan Kamason, James Scanlon, Gabriele Biancheri, Jack Fletcher and Chido Obi will be hungry to lift the trophy and write themselves into United history.
United last won the Youth Cup in 2021/22 and that special crop of talented youngsters included Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Dan Gore, while players such as Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison starred in the United side that lifted the trophy 14 years ago.
The Youth Cup has been a springboard for dozens of players in each generation and they will always remember the games they played in the competition, regardless of whether they subsequently go on to play at international tournaments or in the Champions League final in their careers.
The competition is a big deal and the Manchester Evening News will be at the Emirates on Friday, just like in the previous rounds, and academy followers are hopeful that Obi will be involved.
Obi was a guaranteed starter in the Youth Cup until his recent promotion. He was given his senior debut against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, he made another appearance from the bench at Goodison Park and made the squad for the visit of Ipswich Town on Wednesday.
Amorim did not use Obi against Ipswich, which gives encouragement he'll feature against Arsenal, but he could be needed in the first-team squad against Fulham on Sunday and the club will make a decision.
No doubt, Obi will be desperate to start in the Youth Cup. He turned down a contract offer to stay at Arsenal last summer and will have the chance to rub salt in their wounds if he does.
Obi already has seven goals in the Youth Cup this season, meaning he's already matched the same number of goals that Garnacho netted when the winger fired United to the trophy in 2021/22.
Garnacho was talismanic in the academy and Obi has been a similarly unstoppable presence this season, so it hasn't been a surprise to see him catch the eye of Amorim considering the first-team need goals.
Lawrence lavished Obi with praise after beating Chelsea and said: "It was a really good night for both of the goalscorers [Obi and Scanlon]. I thought the two of them had really good performances on the whole aside from the goals. Obviously, Chido’s a natural goalscorer.
"He wants to score goals and get himself into those positions, but I was really pleased with him just in terms of his link-up play — not just stretching and running in behind but recognising when to show into feet, how to use his body to shield the ball and when to bring others into play."
Obi still has lots to work on, though, just like every 17-years-old player. His first touch and link-up play has noticeably improved over the last few months and he still needs to physically mature into his gangly frame, which teases the prospect that the best is still very much still to come.
Garnacho excelled in the Youth Cup before establishing himself as a bona fide first-team player and perhaps Obi could do the same, despite United trying to keep expectations low among fans.
Obi will be the star attraction on Friday night, provided that he's actually involved, but you can't win the Youth Cup with one player and there is emerging talent all over the pitch at U18 level.
Amass is one the most highly-rated defenders in the country and was on the cusp of a breakthrough to the first-team when he travelled to the United States for the pre-season tour in July.
Biancheri has more goals than Obi. The Welsh youth international has scored 16 goals in 22 appearances season and Arsenal will be dreading facing Biancheri and Obi starting together.
It would also be amiss not to mention Shea Lacey, who has recently returned from a muscle injury. The youngsters is an exceptional prospect and just been unfortunate with a niggly problem in the last 12 months.
Lacey is working his way back to fitness and has the quality to provide a moment of magic against Arsenal. There is talent in each position and the U18s can make more Youth Cup history.
