Easiest route from Gatwick Airport to Manchester piccadilly?

[Journeypplanninghelpneeded]

Can anyone please advise?
I'll be seeing someone off for early morning flight from Gatwick and would ideally need to be in Manchester piccadilly for the afternoon as early as possible. Trains only.

Train from Gatwick to Reading, then change for a train to Manchester Piccadilly (book a seat for the Reading to Manchester leg)

Your options are either:

1. Gatwick Airport to London Victoria, then underground to Euston then train to Manchester Picc
2. Gatwick Airport to Kings Cross St Pancras, 10 mins walk to Euston then to Manchester Picc

Unless you are unable to walk with your luggage I would recommend number 2 as the walk is pretty easy you just need to follow the signs

Gatwick express to victoria.
Then victoria line to Euston
.Euston to Manchester.

Earliest you can usually do it is by taking a Thameslink train from Gatwick into London (St Pancras), then crossing over to Euston for a direct Avanti service to Manchester Piccadilly. The Gatwick–St Pancras run is about 50 mins, and London–Manchester fast trains take just over 2 hours. If all goes smoothly, you could be in Manchester early afternoon. Worth booking in advance for cheaper fares, and always check engineering works if it’s a weekend.

Put it into trainline and see what the quickest route is

Gatwick to St Pancras and train from Euston to Manchester would save you dealing with the Tube.