Manchester United youngster mimics Wayne Rooney’s knockout celebration in 9-1 win vs Liverpool

Manchester United’s U18s hammered Liverpool 9-1 on Saturday afternoon, with James Scanlon scoring the opener in the first minute. Ethan Wheatley will grab the headlines after scoring a hat-trick and celebrating one of his goals by mimicking Wayne Rooney’s knockout celebration from 2015.

James Robert Scanlon and Gabriele Biancheri both scored twice, with Ethan Williams and Ashton Missin also getting in on the scoring in what was a huge win for our impressive U18s side which has won 17 out of 20 matches in the league this season.

FT: Liverpool 1-9 United U18s

A brilliant performance and result for the #MUAcademy 👏 #MUFC || #U18PL pic.twitter.com/lmTZTIGNED

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 6, 2024

When the two teams last met in January, Liverpool defender Luca Furnell-Gill was caught punching and elbowing United’s Wheatley.

Furnell-Gill went unpunished by the referee as United won the match 4-3.

Not only was it brilliant to see the U18s destroy Liverpool, but it was also equally as good to see Wheatley rub salt in the wounds as he ran to the corner of the pitch and produce Rooney’s boxing knockout celebration which has become iconic.

Ethan Wheatley with the Rooney boxing celebration

He was punched and elbowed in the last game vs Liverpool pic.twitter.com/Nfh2Gvy7T9

— academyarena Utd (@academyarenaUTD) April 6, 2024

Rooney celebrated in the same manner after scoring against Tottenham in 2015, just days after a video went viral showing him floored by a punch from former team-mate Phil Bardsley in a kitchen.

With the senior team set to face Liverpool tomorrow, following last month’s 4-3 win against them in the FA Cup at Old Trafford a few weeks ago, they can be motivated by the attacking flair shown by the youngsters.

The U18s are now 13 points clear of second-placed Man City, while Liverpool have dropped to fourth following today’s heavy defeat.

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