Inside the Man United academy ahead of cup final: Chats with Fernandes, ‘mini Beckham’ and social media challenge
Man Utd academy players Jim Thwaites and Dan Armer sat down for an interview ahead of the U18s’ cup final this week.
08:00, 22 Apr 2026
The U18s play Crystal Palace in the Premier League Cup final on Wednesday.(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
“I was just over the moon, but then I told my family and stuff like that,” said Jim Thwaites, recalling a whirlwind 24 hours that saw him included in a senior matchday squad for the first time at Stamford Bridge.
Thwaites was named on Manchester United’s bench a day after playing 120 minutes for the Under-18s. The midfielder was spotted grinning from ear to ear as he returned to the dressing room before facing Chelsea, soaking in every second of the occasion. He has not stopped smiling since he was told the news.
“I’m just trying to learn as much as possible from the pros because that’s where you want to be, realistically,” he said. “I tried to like grasp it all in and take in all the knowledge from them, so I really enjoyed it.”
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Thwaites’ week could get even better at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night. The U18s have reached the Premier League Cup final and Crystal Palace stand in their way of winning the first trophy of this season.
The 18-year-old is a key player for the U18s, along with team captain Dan Armer, and the talented pair sat down for a chat at Carrington on Monday afternoon.
Thwaites and Armer have been involved in first-team training sessions over the last 18 months, and both can remember how they felt when they first got the opportunity.
“I’m just smiling in all of the photos,” Armer said. “The first time you’re not thinking about taking their place, you’re just trying to take it all in, but now you’re just trying to match the level and be as good as you can when you get up there to try and impress.”
Thwaites said: “On the day I trained, there were photos and I just wanted to put them on social media. I was talking to my dad about it and obviously he was so chuffed for me.
“At that time, you are probably just in awe of playing with those senior players, but now you get along the line, you’re wanting to compete and show the best version of yourself really.”
Both Thwaites and Armer mentioned United’s captain when they asked which players are most welcoming when they train with the first team.
“The ones that stand out for me are Bruno [Fernandes] and [Lisandro] Martinez, who is really good. They are the two main ones, I would say, but as a whole, they’re really good with the lads,” said Thwaites.
“He [Bruno]’ll take you to one side on the side and have a word with you and make sure you’re alright, but also on the pitch he will encourage you and let you know that the standard here is the standard you should be aspiring to get to; but also helping you to get to that level.”
Armer added: “Bruno is very good with the young lads. On the post-season tour last year, I remember he stood out to me as really good. He would just like make a joke of you, trying to help you and stuff like that, just help you feel a bit more relaxed around the group.”
United travelled to Malaysia and Hong Kong for a post-season tour at the end of a miserable campaign last term, and the trip gave young players the chance to impress Ruben Amorim.
After facing Hong Kong FC, Amorim said: “I really like the kids. Jimmy, in the last 15 minutes, as a midfielder he wants to play. These kinds of young kids are really important, and they will have a space in our team.”
When asked if he’d seen Amorim’s quote, Thwaites said: “I saw it after the game. Obviously I was just trying to make a good impression, because it was my first time heading away with the first team, but it was really good to hear that sort of feedback from the coach.”
Around that time, some in the United fanbase started to notice that Armer’s playing style was similar to Harry Maguire’s. Since then, the comparisons between the two centre-backs have become more regular, to the extent that academy followers have suggested ‘the next Maguire’ is emerging.
“I’ve seen the comparisons to Maguire,” Armer said as Thwaites giggled from the other side of the sofa. “You can take bits from all of the first team and even like the staff as well, you know, they will come up to you and just give you little bits of advice that you can focus on.”
Although Armer is not as active on social media as his teammates in the academy, he admitted he has seen the Maguire comparisons online.
United academy coaches believe comparisons are not helpful for young players, but fans are quick to liken their favourite emerging prospect to someone in the senior game, and Thwaites has been compared to David Beckham for his set-piece ability.
“Well, it wouldn’t be bad to be like him, would it? But no, I’ve obviously seen the stuff on social media,” Thwaites said.
“But I just try and stay grounded about it and focus on my own performances before looking at all that sort of stuff on social media, so yeah, obviously not a bad comparison, though!”
Thwaites laughed off the Beckham comparisons, but his talent is something that will stand him in good stead, especially in an era in which set-pieces have become increasingly important.
“You only have to look at Arsenal and the way they do it,” he said. “They are massive from set pieces, a lot of their goals come from set pieces.
“So if I try and take that to another level, then it’s only gonna help me in the future when I go and play for different teams or playing the first team for Manchester United, whichever level I get to, it’s only gonna benefit me really.”
Thwaites’ free-kick goals have been regularly clipped and posted on social media, amassing thousands of likes. “It can be good and bad,” said Thwaites of dealing with the spotlight online.
“You can obviously have it to improve your own profile and make yourself bigger on social media, but it also has the side effects of getting into your head when you don’t have a good game, and people getting onto you, so it’s just about having balance.”
Darren Fletcher is overseeing the development of United’s U18s having returned to manage the age group after serving as first-team caretaker boss for two games. Fletcher is well-regarded within the club, and insiders believe that he has a bright future in management.
“He’s been really good because obviously he’s been a top player and has had all those experiences,” Armer said of Fletcher. “He tries to share little bits of stuff like that with us. He sets us up well to play good football.”
Thwaites added: “He really understands the game as well. Obviously, he has been in the game himself, and the information he’s learnt from playing in his career, he’s trying to help give it to us.
“It’s also the little details, even if it’s just a passing drill, the detail in the passing drill, the touch, it’s got to be right at the level, otherwise he’s pulling us, and he’s not happy with it. He’s a really good coach.”
Fletcher declined the chance to join Michael Carrick’s backroom staff when he was appointed as interim head coach. Carrick’s return has not only improved first-team results but has been a huge boost for the academy, as he has been a visible presence at youth fixtures.
“For us, it’s really good to see he’s there because it makes everyone push a little bit more to try and impress,” Armer said. “It definitely helps when he comes and watches training.”
United needed extra time to beat Palace 2-1 last week, suggesting Wednesday’s cup final at Selhurst Park will be another tight game.
“I thought overall we competed well as a team. We knew they would be physically right at it. We dominated the ball and got the game looking like what we wanted,” said Thwaites.
The FA Youth Cup is the most prestigious youth competition, but the U18s are hungry to lift their first trophy at Selhurst Park this week.
“It was random how we have got them for both for the semi-final of the Youth Cup and the final of the Premier League Cup,” Armer said. “But I think it probably helps us because now we know what we’re up against, and know what to expect in the cup final. And you know, I think it helps for the next game up, so we can go do it again.”
Thwaites smiled when trophies were mentioned. “This club is built around trophies, so at the start of the season, they are the things that you want to aim for and strive for. When you get nights like this, that’s when it means everything. It’s about going to compete and winning trophies,” he said.
Both players’ families will attend the final at Selhurst Park. There may be some tears in the stands, along with smiles, if they can lift the trophy.
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