During Tuesday’s U18s match, Liverpool defender Luca Furnell-Gill struck Manchester United star Ethan Wheatley in the face and subsequently elbowed him.
The academy clash at Carrington took a contentious turn, with United ultimately securing a 4-3 victory over their bitter rivals.
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Liverpool led 2-1 at half-time, and just before Jayce Fitzgerald equalized for United early in the second half, Furnell-Gill struck Wheatley in the face during an attack. Surprisingly, the referee took no action against Furnell-Gill despite the clear aggression.
The unsightly incident unfolded as Wheatley sought to prevent Furnell-Gill from pressuring one of his teammates.
The collision resulted in Furnell-Gill delivering a sucker punch to Wheatley, who, though visibly surprised, remained on his feet, with no free-kick awarded for the incident.
The staff on United’s touchlines were infuriated by the punch, yet Jayce Fitzgerald’s goal swiftly leveling the score at 2-2 momentarily subdued their protests.
However, the conflict between Furnell-Gill and Wheatley persisted, with tempers flaring up once again later in the match.
In a contentious sequence, Furnell-Gill elbowed Wheatley in the face while the Liverpool star had his back turned to the United forward. In response, Wheatley pushed Furnell-Gill in anger.
Surprisingly, Furnell-Gill managed to avoid a red card for both incidents, leaving fans perplexed on social media. Some even called for him to receive a substantial ban.
Despite the controversies, United secured victory, extending their flawless record to 14 wins from 14 matches. The Red Devils now hold a commanding 17-point lead over second-placed Manchester City in the U18 Premier League North, while Liverpool sits third in the table.
