Kai Rooney scores four as United U18s win 6-0 at Burnley and climb to second
Kai Rooney's four goals at Burnley have taken Darren Fletcher's under-18s to second in the U18 Premier League North. The academy's form contrasts sharply with a first team that is eight games without a win and 16th in the Premier League.
Kai Rooney took a Burnley defence apart on Tuesday afternoon. Wayne Rooney’s son scored four times in the U18 Premier League North. The match was played at Burnley’s Barnfield Training Centre and shown on MUTV.
Rooney opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Jaume Camacho’s header came back off the post, and Rooney tapped in the rebound. Soon after half-time he scored from the penalty spot. Burnley captain Dylan Morison had fouled him.
A Jay McEvoy corner then found Rooney, who headed home his third goal of the afternoon on 63 minutes. Three minutes later he added a fourth with a strong finish from inside the area, ESPN reported. Camacho, a 17-year-old Spaniard, then made it 5-0. Noah Ajayi completed the scoring in the 84th minute.
Rooney’s goals push Fletcher’s side up the North table
The result gives United six wins from their first eight league matches. Rooney has played a growing part in that run. He scored in a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. He also set up a goal in a 6-3 win over Liverpool.
Rooney is the eldest of Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s four sons. He joined United’s academy aged 11 in December 2020. This season he has also made his debut for the under-21s. He has played for the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League too.
After the match the club published an MUTV interview with Fletcher. The coach said his team played at a high level after half-time. The scoreline supports that view, with five of the six goals coming after the break.
Academy goals arrive as the first team struggle
The contrast with the senior side is stark. At Old Trafford on Sunday, Bournemouth left with a comfortable win. Michael Carrick had dropped captain Bruno Fernandes for that match, according to Sky Sports. The defeat stretched the winless run to eight games and left United 16th in the Premier League.
Against that backdrop, Rooney’s haul quickly caught supporters’ attention. After the Burnley win, fans called for Carrick to fast-track the teenager into the first team. For now, his progress has been measured in steps through the academy. He has moved between the under-18s, the under-19s and the under-21s this season.
His form also gives a struggling fanbase a reason to watch the academy closely. Fletcher’s side will want to keep pace near the top of the North table.
The under-18s’ next match is away to Blackburn Rovers. They play at the Blackburn Rovers Football Academy in Brockhall Village, with an 11:00 kick-off on 31 October 2026.
Turf Moor: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
