18 hours ago
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Manchester City Under-19s eased their UEFA Youth League worries with a stunning win against Bayer Leverkusen at the Joie Stadium.
Divine Mukasa's senior career at Manchester City amounts to just 153 minutes across two Carabao Cup ties so far, but it seems to be a matter of time until the 19-year-old is a more permanent fixture in the first-team dressing room. Mukasa has played against Huddersfield and Swansea in that competition this season and spent a lot of the early weeks of the campaign training with Pep Guardiola's squad.
He has been an unused substitute twice in the Champions League and three times in the Premier League. However, the squad depth available to Guardiola, combined with the lack of injuries affecting his squad, especially in the attacking areas, means Mukasa hasn't been needed as much recently.
Back in the academy ranks, he has doubled down on a desire to show everyone how talented he is. It's certainly not been an easy season for Ben Wilkinson's side. The Under-23s are struggling in Premier League 2 and Tuesday's UEFA Youth League clash with Bayer Leverkusen at the Joie Stadium had must-win vibes, given the Blues end their campaign in Madrid in December.
With the game goalless at the break, there might have been some jitters, but Mukasa was captain of a strong starting XI and City had dominated the opening 45 minutes. It seemed unlikely Leverkusen would hold out for 90 minutes and when the dam broke, it did so emphatically.
Mukasa might have felt he was the unlucky man when it came to the Youth League this season. He missed the wins against Napoli and Monaco due to first-team involvement. Back in the team against Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund, he saw City's talented youngsters lose both games, putting their future in the competition in jeopardy for the New Year.
This 6-0 win should secure passage into the knockout rounds and although it was goalless at the break, it could easily have been more. City finished the game with 31 shots and rattled the woodwork on four occasions as well.
Reigan Heskey got the ball rolling with a penalty, Christian McFarlane scored a brilliant individual goal and Floyd Samba thrashed an unstoppable drive in off the crossbar, but Mukasa was the star of the show.
He drilled his first in from range, a powerful low shot arrowed into the corner, then raced on to a through ball to finish from a tight angle. He rounded off the scoring with a penalty to complete his hat-trick.
Wearing the captain's armband, Mukasa looked the best player on the pitch and the one most likely to make himself a first-team squad member in the future.
He dovetailed in attack with Mahamadou Sangare and is equally at home as an attacking midfielder or leading the line. He will have his eye on another first-team appearance in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford and will want to add more minutes before the end of the season.
Guardiola is a signed-up member of the Mukasa fan club. He has been impressed with his performances in the Carabao Cup, raves about his ability in the pockets and is keen to retain him around the first-team as often as he can.
That is easier said than done this season and after a sticky start, Mukasa was needed back in the youth ranks on Tuesday. He delivered a big performance for his team when they needed it.
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