In a fiery post-match reaction, Manchester United Under-18 coach Darren Fletcher has slammed the Football Association's handling of the Youth Cup final, claiming the governing body allowed Manchester City to effectively "take over" the prestigious competition.

The young Red Devils fell 2-1 to their local rivals at City's Joie Stadium, capping off a frustrating end to the season. Fletcher's squad had already lost the Premier League Under-18 Cup final to Crystal Palace on penalties after conceding a heartbreaking stoppage-time equalizer, and finished second to City in the Premier League North table.

While the former United and Scotland midfielder acknowledged that Oliver Reiss's City side deserved the victory on the night, his frustration was directed squarely at the FA's handling of the occasion. The controversy began when City rejected United's offer to host the final at Old Trafford, citing ongoing construction work at the Etihad Stadium as the reason they couldn't reciprocate. United academy staff were left fuming, believing the decision robbed young players from both sides of the chance to compete in a showcase final at a venue befitting the occasion.

Instead, the match was held at Joie Stadium—City's 7,000-capacity home for their academy and women's teams, located just next door to the main stadium. Despite City officials declaring the match a sell-out, only the United section was full, with large swathes of empty seats visible in the home sections. The game was watched by both first-team managers, Pep Guardiola and Michael Carrick.

But what truly ignited Fletcher's anger was the presentation ceremony. He criticized what he described as the "over-the-top" manner in which City's players and coaches were individually announced as they collected their winners' medals from EFL chairman Rick Parry.

"I'm disappointed in the FA for everything that's gone around this game: for the location, for everything," Fletcher said. "You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It's an FA competition. It should never have been like that. I've never heard individual coaches be shouted out and every individual player be shouted out. That doesn't happen in cup finals. It's an FA competition."

The comments highlight growing tensions in the Manchester youth football rivalry, with Fletcher clearly feeling that the showpiece final lost its neutral, FA-controlled identity. For young players dreaming of glory, the controversy serves as a reminder that even at the grassroots level, the lines between competition and spectacle can sometimes blur.