Manchester United's Sean McGinty opened the scoring in their 2-0 win over West Brom
There were two matches in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League second phase on Sunday, with Manchester United moving to within four points of the Elite Group leaders Tottenham Hotspur and Everton extending their lead of Group 1.
West Brom 0-2 Man Utd
Manchester United moved to within four points of the top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Elite Group with two late goals against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
In a tight encounter at the Baggies’ main stadium, there was little to separate the two sides, with United’s senior goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard and West Brom’s Boaz Myhill keeping the strikers at bay.
The visitors broke the deadlock with six minutes remaining, as Sean McGinty hammered home after a cross from Adnan Januzaj at the byline. Two minutes later, Lindegaard’s long kick forward evaded the West Brom defence and substitute John Cofie latched on to seal victory.
United are four points ahead of Liverpool, having played a match more, while West Brom are at the bottom of the Elite Group table after eight matches.
West Brom report | Man Utd report
Everton 2-2 Aston Villa
Everton remain six points clear at the top of Group 1, but were denied victory by two late goals from Aston Villa at Southport’s Merseyrail Community Stadium.
The hosts were in command in the early stages, and opened the scoring just after the half hour. Conor McAleny cut inside from the left and stroked a low shot in off a post. Everton doubled their lead with 22 minutes remaining, as McAleny’s left-wing cross was headed home by Hallam Hope.
But the visitors rallied late on, and Daniel Johnson halved the deficit with an emphatic finish past Mason Springthorpe, who had been on the bench for the first-team's 2-0 victory over Manchester City the day before. With just four minutes remaining, Johnson scored his second with a low finish from the edge of the box.
The point took Villa to within two points of third-placed Middlesbrough, with two matches in hand. Everton are six points clear of Fulham in second, having played a game fewer.
Everton report | Aston Villa report
Barclays Under-21 Premier League results
Saturday 16 March
Elite Group
West Brom 0-2 Manchester United (McGinty, Cofie)
Group 1
Everton (McAleny, Hope) 2-2 Aston Villa (Johnson 2)
Barclays Under-21 Premier League fixtures
Monday 18 March
Elite Group
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool, AFC Telford United, 7pm
Group 2
Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City, Lancashire FA, 7pm
Norwich City v Manchester City, Colney Training Centre, 2pm
Reading v Newcastle United, Reading Training Ground, 1pm
Download full fixture list here | For full results click here
To view the league tables after the qualificaton stage, click here
You can follow developments on Twitter with the Premier League's account @premierleague or via the hashtag #BU21PL
