Rhys Bennett warns us he is drenched with champagne but he needn't have bothered. Standing next to him by the corner flag in front of the Old Trafford tunnel, he already reeks of it.
Bennett is 18, so legally allowed to drink. The diminutive Daniel Gore, 17, is clutching a can of apple pop. "Most of us are underage!" he laughs. "I think I'll be going home and just chilling." The after-party is strictly in the dressing room.
The stands are empty and the stewards are approaching the exits. The floodlights are still on and the unsung heroes behind the scenes at United, proudly dressed in club attire, assemble on the pitch for a celebratory shot with the Youth Cup.
