Derby County’s Under 23s produced their standout performance of the season to date as they swept aside Manchester United with a convincing 5-3 victory at St George’s Park on Monday evening.

The Red Devils did open the scoring early doors through Callum Gribbin, but the Rams refused to lie down and fought back to lead 2-1 at the interval through Alex Babos and Timi Max Elsnik.From there, Darren Wassall’s men took their display up another level and struck three further times in a devastating five-minute spell through Elsnik, Kellan Gordon and Emil Riis Jakobsen to lead 5-1 in Staffordshire.Devonte Redmond and Tosin Kehinde responded for the visitors late on, but despite their late pressure, Derby held firm to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five games and secure their first Premier League 2 Division 1 win since the end of October.That said, and take away the final scoreline, the final outcome was one that few would have predicted after a tight and cagey opening 20 minutes that had been edged by Nicky Butt’s side.In the swirling wind and rain, the Red Devils began strongly, confidently knocking the ball around the park, whilst Kehinde was also proving himself to be a menace on the left flank.On six minutes, he won a free kick on the edge of the area after being hauled down by Alefe Santos and up stepped Gribbin, who bent his free kick towards the near post where he beat Kelle Roos.The Derby ‘keeper was called upon on a couple more occasions as the half approached the midway point as he got down to swat away Kehinde’s effort before grasping the loose ball at the second attempt as United players rained in on him.He then denied Josh Harrop’s effort from range moments later, but after riding out the storm (not quite literally), Derby began to get a foothold in the contest.A stray back pass nearly gifted the hosts an equaliser on 25 minutes, but the Rams did get themselves back on level matters two minutes later and in fine fashion too after Babos was picked out by a right wing cut back and bent a shot out of the reach of Kieran O’Hara and into the far corner.From there, Derby finished the stronger and edged in front five minutes before the break through the excellent Elsnik, who rose and displayed great desire to head in Mason Bennett’s deep cross from the left side from close range.The performance in the second half, though, was even better as the Rams laid siege on O’Hara’s goal with a number of strong attacking movements that the visitors struggled to contend with.The third goal was crucial and gave Wassall’s side the confidence to kick on with their two-goal cushion. It came through Elsnik once more, after being picked out by Bennett, and the Slovenian midfielder saw his effort from the edge of the area take a big deflection and loop into the back of the net.This was the start of the devastating five-minute spell and the deficit stretched to three no more than a minute later. Elsnik was involved again as the ball ricocheted into Gordon’s path on the edge of the box and with time, the wideman lashed a low effort across O’Hara.The Rams weren’t done there either as they marked their five-star showing with a fifth goal as Jakobsen got himself in on the act with another low hit after Elsnik had shown great invention to beat two United challengers and create the opening.United finished the contest strongly and pushed for an unlikely way back into the meeting, striking twice with two consolation goals.Redmond scored the first, beating Roos with a low shot after his initial effort had hit the woodwork, whilst Kehinde added the finishing touch to a swift counter attack to score a third goal, but that was a mere blemish on a standout evening for Wassall’s young players.Roos, Santos, Bateman, Cover, Macdonald; Bird (Edwards, 85), Elsnik, Babos; Gordon, Bennett, JakobsenCresswell, Ravas, Bogle, KaricO’Hara, Olosunde, Tuanzebe, Scott (Warren, 64), Mitchell, Willock, Kehinde, Harrop (Buffonge, 72), McTominay, Gribbin, RedmondM. Johnstone, Hamilton, WhelanTweets by @ dcfcofficial