With the Manchester Derby on Sunday, tensions are rising across the city with none higher than those in the Williams household.
A legend in the sky blue of Manchester City, Alex Williams is well known to any English football fan in the 1980s but lesser known is his nephew, who is making a name for himself in red.
Ethan Williams has been rising through United’s ranks and impressed again just last night with a late equaliser for Manchester United’s u21s away to Fulham.
The 17 year old has started the season in hot form, scoring five already and averaging a goal or assist every 80 minutes across the u18s and u21s.
Ethan Williams last minute equaliser to make it 1-1 #MUFC #MUAcademy #PL2 #ThePeoplesPerson pic.twitter.com/4rR48LjRvK
— The Peoples Person (@_peoplesperson_) October 27, 2023
The young star’s uncle has recently published an autobiography titled You Saw Me Standing Alone.
The Manchester Evening News report that the book mentions United’s young academy prospect with Alex Williams saying in it that “Ethan is progressing well and has the potential to go all the way.”
It further adds “he’s quick, has a terrific left foot and an eye for goal. He’s destined to be a star, although it’s a shame his favourite colour is red rather than blue. I just hope Ethan is as happy during his career as I was during mine.”
It is not just a terrific left foot Ethan possesses though, as he has just as good a right foot as evidenced by his goal on Friday night against Fulham.
An extremely two footed player, Ethan Williams is amongst a rare breed of players who can often been seen delivering corners with either left or right boot like another Manchester United academy graduate in Andreas Pereira.
Since joining the club from Rochdale at 14, Williams has quickly moved his way through the ranks and has already trained with the first team under Erik ten Hag.
Often playing as an old school winger on the left, he is also capable of playing on the right and even has experience at left back which will stand him in good stead when looking to earn a chance with the first team.
He is not the only academy player with a City connection either as Jack and Tyler Fletcher, sons of Darren Fletcher, have just joined United in the summer from the cross town rivals.