Manchester United's academy teams are set to return to action following the international break, with several players having represented their national youth teams while others rested before resuming training at Carrington.
The Under-21s will face Nottingham Forest next week, and the Under-18s will play Forest on the same weekend, according to the Manchester Evening News' latest Academy Notebook.
Devaney helps Ireland beat England
Jacob Devaney, born in Barnsley, has pursued an international career with the Republic of Ireland, which he qualifies to represent through his grandparents. The midfielder helped Ireland's U21 team secure a 3-1 victory over England in Cork on Tuesday night.
England's U21s had already qualified for the European Championships, but the win was a superb result for Ireland, who will now head to the play-offs. Devaney started in defensive midfield and played the full 90 minutes, getting the better of Ethan Nwaneri (Borussia Dortmund), Josh King (Fulham) and Tyler Dibling (Everton).
The 19-year-old signed for Hibernian on loan in August, but he signed a new three-year deal with United, with the option of another year, before leaving.
Kana-Biyik features in friendly
Enzo Kana-Biyik played for United's first team in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lausanne last week. The fixture gave several young players a chance to impress Michael Carrick, as most senior players were away on international duty.
Kana-Biyik looked sharp during a promising cameo for the U21s against Altrincham in pre-season, but he missed the first two games of the campaign due to a small injury. He returned for the U21s' game against Brentford before the break, coming on from the bench for the final eight minutes.
Kana-Biyik speaks limited English, but he is learning more thanks to English lessons organised by the club. The language barrier has not stopped him from signing shirts and taking photos with young fans after games.
Manchester derby rescheduled
United's U21s were due to play Manchester City away on Saturday, September 12, but the game was quietly postponed due to fixture congestion between U21, U18 and UEFA Youth League games.
United played Sabah in the Youth League on Thursday, September 10, and the derby was due to take place two days later, so it was agreed the fixture would be played at a later date. The new date has now been confirmed, with City U21s set to welcome United to the City Football Academy on Monday, April 5.
City charges impact
More might be known about the sanctions City face for their financial charges by the time the U21 Manchester derby is played in April, but the legal challenge could rumble on. The entire footballing world is watching the case closely because the outcome will have huge consequences, with the prospect of City being relegated to the lower leagues touted, along with other severe sanctions.
In the event of City being demoted, questions arise about what happens to the best players in their academy. It is very early days, but speculation suggests there could be a mass exodus of talent, and United would be at the front of the queue for many of City's best young players if they became available.
