Devaney shines as Ireland stun England U21s and United derby date set for April

Jacob Devaney delivered a composed full-game performance in defensive midfield as Republic of Ireland’s Under-21s stunned England 3-1 in Cork on Tuesday, a result that sends Ireland into the European Championship play-offs. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Under-21 Manchester derby has been rescheduled to Monday, April 5, at the City Football Academy.

Devaney stands out against England

The 19-year-old Barnsley-born midfielder, who qualifies for Ireland through his grandparents, held his own against a highly-rated England side that included Ethan Nwaneri (Borussia Dortmund), Josh King (Fulham) and Tyler Dibling (Everton). England’s U21s had already secured their place at the European Championships, but the defeat was still a significant result for an Ireland side now heading into the play-off round.

Devaney signed a new three-year deal with United — with an option for a further year — before joining Hibernian on loan in August, underlining the club’s belief in the midfielder despite his temporary departure.

Kana-Biyik building momentum

French striker Enzo Kana-Biyik also caught the eye during the international break, featuring in a behind-closed-doors friendly between United’s first team and Lausanne — a fixture used to give younger players exposure while senior internationals were away. The game came after Kana-Biyik returned from a minor injury that had kept him out of the first two Under-21 fixtures of the season, with the 19-year-old coming off the bench in the final eight minutes of the U21s’ game against Brentford before the break.

Kana-Biyik is currently taking English lessons organised by the club, though the language barrier has not prevented him from engaging with supporters after matches.

Derby rescheduled to April

United’s Under-21 clash with Manchester City, originally scheduled for Saturday, September 12, was quietly postponed due to fixture congestion involving U21, U18 and UEFA Youth League commitments. United had played Sabah in the Youth League on September 10, making the two-day turnaround unworkable, and both clubs agreed to move the fixture.

The new date — Monday, April 5 — is an unusually long delay for a rescheduled youth fixture, but reflects the flexibility that exists in academy football calendars. United’s Under-21s and Under-18s will both face Nottingham Forest next week as the post-international-break schedule resumes.