About a week after kicking off their pre-season with a 1-0 loss to Championship side Wrexham, Manchester United returned to action today.
This time around, the Red Devils took on Rosenborg, with the Norwegian side hosting the 20-time English champions at the Lerkendal Stadion.
Looking to inject some good vibes into United’s pre-season after a less inspiring showing against Wrexham, fans hoped for a top performance crowned by a convincing win.
Well, that is exactly what United produced with a dominant 5‑0 victory over Rosenborg. The Red Devils hit the mark through Shea Lacey, Joshua Zirkzee, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams all finding the net.
Much has already been taken from United’s emphatic win in Norway; here’s what we learned.
Zirkzee had a great game after Wrexham struggles
After a less-than-memorable performance against Wrexham, Zirkzee needed to raise his game against Rosenborg, and fortunately, that is exactly what happened.
Playing as a number 10 and occasionally dropping deeper as a false nine, switching positions with Lacey, who led the line, the Dutchman put his playmaking ability on full display.
The United number 11’s passing range impressed throughout, as he found his teammates on several occasions and created some excellent goalscoring chances.
Mbeumo failed to convert one such opportunity, but Lacey made no mistake, converting a brilliant Zirkzee assist to give United a deserved lead.
If Carrick is considering using Zirkzee as a 10 or false nine, this performance served as the perfect audition.
Bryan Mbeumo needs to step up
Mbeumo struggled through the second half of last season, appearing to lose his mojo and looking far less threatening than he did before AFCON.
A summer break, with Cameroon failing to feature at the World Cup, offered him the chance to recharge and return inspired to rediscover his form.
Unfortunately, Mbeumo still looks a shadow of his former self. Pre-season was supposed to mark a turning point, yet his passes continue to go astray, he seems to lack the pace to threaten his marker, and he is not showing the danger he flashed earlier in his United career.
In a game where he should have shone, Mbeumo failed to deliver against Rosenborg.
The Cameroonian looked rusty, and if he intended to prove himself the better right-wing option, he has not done so. As things stand, Amad will have little trouble claiming the right-wing berth. Mbeumo now needs a big performance against Atletico Madrid.
Other notable performances
That said, Andrey Santos put in another impressive performance, producing several crunching tackles. Leny Yoro, meanwhile, was not troubled at right back, bouncing back well after a below-par display against Wrexham to look decent.
Mason Mount, too, continues to grow into this deep midfield role, and he looks capable of doing a fine job there. Lacey, the goalscorer, also had a superb game, starting slowly before growing into proceedings; he certainly looks set for a fantastic season. Devaney also impressed, coming off the bench to score just three minutes later, building on his fine performance against Wrexham.
Up next
Following the Norway trip, United now have a full week to prepare for one of their toughest pre‑season tests. On Saturday 1 August, Michael Carrick and his boys take on Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena in Sweden.
Featured image Steve Bardens via Getty Images
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