3/1 To Win
Derby County Under-18s full-back Jayden Bogle has backed his team’s chances of progressing in the FA Youth Cup ahead of their clash with Manchester United.
The Rams host United in the third-round of the competition and will welcome their opponents to Pride Park on Wednesday evening, whilst hoping to continue their fine season so far.
An impressive 2-0 win against Manchester City on Saturday helped to prove the squad’s credentials, and Bogle is positive about another strong performance this time out.
Speaking to Rams TV, he said: “We know it’s going to be a tough game, and we know what they’re about because we’ve played them before.
“But we showed on Saturday that, against the top teams, we can compete. If we go with the right mindset in the next couple of days, approach the game in the right way and get in their faces, I think we’ve got every chance.
“We’ve now got a chance to get a bit of revenge against them. Yes they beat us at the start of the season, but we’ve bounced back from that.
“We didn’t let it affect us, and we came back stronger, but I think we’ve got every chance of doing well against them, as long as we approach the game in the right way.”
Victory over Premier League – North leaders Manchester City took the Under-18s unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions.
This fine form stretches back to September, and Bogle was full of praise for the hard work his teammates have put in this campaign against some tough opposition.
He said: “If you work hard day in day out, on and off the pitch, then results come.
“We know we’ve got the players in the team that can battle; we know we need to get in their faces and stop them trying to play because that’s what they’re good at.
“It just shows, over the season, how well we’ve progressed and how well we’ve done to show we can compete against the top teams.
“We’ve got to apply our strengths against their weaknesses. That’s what we’ve been doing recently, and it just shows how well we’re doing.”
Last season, the Rams bowed out of the FA Youth Cup at this third-round stage after a 2-0 away loss to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Bogle was part of the side that played in that game, and the full-back is hoping for a better experience of the prestigious competition under the lights at Pride Park.
He said: “To me it means a lot because it’s a big competition in football for the youth sides.
“Last year was quite upsetting in the way we went out. We didn’t perform to the best of our abilities, we were away, and it was a long journey.
“As long as we prepare right, we’ve got a good chance of doing well.
“It’s a home game, so as long as everyone is comfortable, that’s the main thing. We just need to do as well as we can.”
Words by Marc Walker
Images by Harry Marshall
