Angel Gomes' historic Under-18s hat-trick

Last weekend, Angel Gomes became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for Manchester United at Academy level in almost 15 years.

The attacking midfielder came off the bench against Everton and his three goals helped the Under-18s to come from a goal down and secure their first win of the season with a 5-1 victory at Finch Farm.

The Englishman, who has now turned 16, was 15 years, 11 months and 29 days old at the time of the match against Everton, making him just the third 15-year-old in the club’s history to score a hat-trick for the Academy.

Ramon Calliste performed the same feat for what was then the Under-17s team, as they smashed Wrexham 9-0 at home back in 2001. David Poole scored four of United’s goals that day but it was Calliste who took the headlines as, remarkably, he exactly equalled the record set in 1995 by Alex Notman in 1995, who netted three for the Academy 'B' team against Blackpool. Notman and Calliste were both 15 years, 10 months and 12 days old when they netted their first hat-tricks at Academy level.

Gomes, although slightly older, joins them as the only other player to have scored a hat-trick at the age of 15 and is the youngest to do since United's U18s took its current back form in 2004. What makes the England U17s player's achievement even more impressive is that his treble came while playing for what is effectively United's third team; Notman and Calliste were playing in United’s fourth teams when they bagged their first hat-tricks.

United's youngest Under-18s hat-trick scorers: 

Angel Gomes, 3 goals v Everton, 27 August 2016 – 15 years, 11 months, 29 days
Will Keane, 3 goals v Manchester City, 17 October 2009 – 16 years, 9 months, 7 days
James Wilson, 5 goals v Newcastle United, 22 September 2012 – 16 years, 9 months, 22 days
Danny Welbeck, 4 goals v West Bromwich Albion, 20 October 2007 – 16 years, 10 months, 25 days
Oliver Rathbone, 3 goals v Blackburn Rovers, 11 October 2014 – 16 years, 11 months, 12 days
Indy Boonen, 3 goals v Newcastle United, 9 April 2016 – 17 years, 3 months, 6 days
Larnell Cole, 3 goals v Manchester City, 19 February 2011 – 17 years, 11 months, 11 days
Adnan Januzaj, 3 goals v Sunderland, 15 September 2014 – 19 years, 7 months, 11 days