As Manchester City’s Under-18 players wheeled away celebrating a second successive title, manager Oli Reiss stood smiling. He wanted the youngsters to enjoy the moment. It didn’t stop his players spraying him with water but the affable Reiss had no complaints. This was their time.

The German coach is proud of what his squad has achieved but perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the class of 2026 is the camaraderie. The youngsters are friends first and footballers second.

That formula is not easy to cultivate but City have managed it. Their talent and ability is clear to see but the togetherness and spirit is what many inside the Etihad believe has yielded their success at this level. For the second successive season they have won the league title and so reached the national final. They are in the Youth Cup final for a third straight year. It is a consistent success story.

But the players and staff know there is much more to it than putting in performances on a weekend. The environment at the CFA gives them the best chance to succeed, they have their own analysts, their own chef, a bespoke training and education schedule. It’s an elite environment but no amount of money or facilities can forge a strong group. That comes down to the players themselves. And this bunch of City youngsters are a tight-knit group.

“It helps a lot,” forward Kylan Midwood, who scored a hat-trick in the weekend win over Derby, told the Manchester Evening News. “It builds trust and if you can do that off the pitch then it naturally comes on the pitch. We are always there for each other and as a team you need togetherness. A football team is not full of individuals and I think that is important.”

In this day and age, young footballers can be bombarded with information, offers, incentives and off-the-pitch temptations. They have to navigate far more than their progress as a footballer. City strive to ensure they grow and mature as people, while also accepting that social media and image play much more of a role in the modern world.

For boss Reiss, it is important that he and his staff strike a balance between instilling the standards required to make it in the game, and understanding the pressures that come to any teenager.

“I think the development in academies at the moment, with social media, agents, everything around the players, they are starting earlier thinking more about themselves and their career. This is just part of development,” he said, speaking to the MEN moments after winning the league title.

“And that is why it is something special, I think that I can see a team where I have the feeling that we are not just a group of high-potential players where everyone is thinking about themselves. We are not just a team, we are mates and friends who celebrate together.

“We had to find the balance, you can take everything seriously but we had some sessions where it was a bit more fun or silly sometimes and that should be normal. That is exactly what you need as a group to come together as friends.

“We did well as a staff to find the balance between when is the moment to be really focused and serious and how much do we accept that they are friends and 16 and 17 years old.”

That approach has yielded success. City won the league a year ago and plenty of this year’s title winners were part of that group. There was a drive towards ensuring they could go again.

“This is one thing: not getting complacent in terms of playing more EDS (Under-21 football) and less in the Under 18s,” added Reiss. “We have kept the hunger of winning titles and there are also two or three players who were not so much on the pitch last season – for example Tyrone Samba – and for them it was a chance to say last season was not my season but this season I want to be part of a successful team and this combination, this was the result.”

City were able to celebrate their title triumph on Saturday afternoon with each other on the pitches at the CFA. Then it was off for food as a group and back to it. They play again today in their final home game of the season and have one more league match, a national play-off final and an FA Youth Cup final to come. It’s a daunting and exciting schedule but even with those massive matches on the horizon, Reiss wants to allow the squad to enjoy their league-winning campaign, insisting just because success is expected at City, that doesn’t make it easy.

“I think it is important to mention that yes, we are Man City and, along with other big clubs and academies, everyone is expecting the title or at least fighting for the title,” he said. “So when it happens then sometimes the feeling is ‘okay’ but no, this was a tough season.

“There were phases where we struggled, we came back, we had to be strong. There were tough games in the first half of the season where we won games at the end so it was not easy. From outside sometimes it looks easy but it wasn’t because of the opponents, strong opponents and tough games so at the end it is not just ‘oh carry on,’ it is well deserved in terms of the performances and I am really happy.”

City are happy now, they could be delighted if they add two more trophies to the collection in the coming weeks.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has sent a clear message about the club’s targets

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has set out his aspirations for the club. The team have clinched a Champions League place and currently occupy third spot in the Premier League.

United’s climb up the table has occurred during Michael Carrick’s time in the dugout. The 44-year-old has won 10 of his 14 matches at the helm, building a compelling argument to be handed the role on a permanent basis.

A significant change the manager is lauded for is reinstating Kobbie Mainoo in midfield after the academy product was sidelined under previous boss Ruben Amorim. The 21-year-old scored the decisive goal against Liverpool at the weekend.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Yet the England international’s resurgence comes as no surprise to former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker. Here is a look at some of the biggest stories surrounding the club.

Bruno Fernandes names ‘compulsory’ target

Bruno Fernandes has been pivotal in transforming the side’s fortunes, recording 12 assists across 14 matches under Carrick. However, the 31-year-old has maintained that qualifying for the Champions League is the minimum expected of United as the captain sets his sights on a future title challenge.

“We have to be the main character every time and not think, ‘Let’s try to do our best and see what’s coming,’” Fernandes told Gary Neville for Sky Sports. “We have to be the main character in the game and then we will see.

“Sometimes you’re going to struggle, sometimes you won’t, but you have to try to be the main character in the game because you play for a big club and play for a huge place.

“Not where we are at the moment, we want to be in the top four all of the time, that has to be compulsory, but it’s the first place that we want.”

Advertisement

Gary Lineker left baffled

Gary Lineker has admitted his disbelief at Ruben Amorim’s judgment following Kobbie Mainoo’s impressive performance against Liverpool. The midfielder got the decisive goal, leaving Lineker baffled as to why Mainoo failed to earn a single league start under Amorim during the first half of the campaign.

“Kobbie Mainoo, I thought [he] was the star of this game,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast. “I am absolutely bewildered by the fact that he didn’t get a look-in under the previous incumbent. It’s incredible.

“I mean, what? What? I don’t get it at all. And even whatever system you play or anything like that, how can you not see how good that kid is?”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

Advertisement

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

The NBA’s playoff blocks record has added confusion because of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Victor Wembanyama set the official single-game NBA playoffs blocks record on Monday night for the San Antonio Spurs.

Advertisement

But if you look in certain sources, you’ll see that two guys actually rival Wemby in this regard: Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

Check out this table:

Oba Femi announced last week that, due to not having an opportunity for a championship, he would be the prize and kickstart an open challenge. The first open challenge was answered by a 330-lb star, who he squashed.

This week on RAW, it was the inaugural Oba Femi open challenge in Omaha, Nebraska. As with every crowd since his debut, The Ruler got a huge reception, indicating just how big a star he has become. In fact, during a period where WWE isn’t considered at its best creatively, Femi is one of the highlights of the entire company. The fact that he retired Brock Lesnar gives him an unmatched level of aura. So to topple that would be a huge deal, and even for established superstars who have been on the roster for years, it would be a massive opportunity, albeit a risky one.

Oba Femi’s open challenge was first answered by Akira Tozawa. When the Japanese star stepped into the ring, he was full of regret, and Otis, the 330-lb gentle giant, decided to step in instead. The match only lasted for a few minutes, and Femi would end up squashing Otis in his open challenge.

It was a commendable effort from Otis to step up to the plate, but there is nobody in WWE, not even Roman Reigns, who has as much momentum as Femi does on RAW. It’s interesting to see that WWE has no storyline in place for him, or atleast they’re waiting for Backlash, so the directions are a lot clearer.

It’s a similar situation to what Gunther faced heading into WrestleMania 42. He was too big a star to leave out, and that’s how he ended up in a match against Seth Rollins despite having no history or relationship whatsoever with anyone in The Vision.