Manchester United picked up an impressive 2-1 comeback win over Atletico Madrid in pre-season to win the Snapdragon Cup on Saturday, 1 August, in Stockholm. Bryan Mbeumo scored a brace to secure his team’s second win in three games as they prepare for the new campaign.
Michael Carrick has been rotating his team in pre-season so far as he welcomes more first-team stars back into his squad following their involvement in the World Cup. While Senne Lammens was among the players who returned to training earlier this week, he was not deemed fit enough to feature against Los Rojiblancos.
As such, the English manager opted for Tom Heaton in goal, protected by a back four of Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw. Mason Mount and Andrey Santos, who had displayed signs of a budding partnership in the last two games, continued in midfield, along with Shea Lacey in the No. 10 role.
Patrick Dorgu continued in the left forward role, but Amad entered the fray on the right wing, fresh from a good run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bryan Mbeumo was selected to lead the line as Joshua Zirkzee dropped to the bench despite his heroics against Rosenborg.
United started their pre-season with a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham, and then secured a 5-0 win over Rosenborg last week. However, Atletico Madrid posed a sterner test for Carrick’s team.
United showed character against Atletico Madrid
United were expected to continue their run from Rosenborg, but it was the LaLiga giants who took the lead through Arnau Ortiz in the 5th minute. However, the Red Devils shook off the initial disappointment and soon took control of proceedings.
Shaw came close, as did Yoro and Mbeumo, while Lacey showed promise in and around the opposition box. It was the academy graduate who turned the tide of the game after the break, when he was brought down in the box.
Mbeumo stepped up and put the ball in the back of the net from the resulting penalty in the 53rd minute to restore parity. That goal put a spring in the English giants’ steps, and they continued to lay siege on the opposition goal.
Their efforts finally bore fruit in the 74th minute, when Jack Fletcher set up Mbeumo to score his second goal of the day. Atletico pushed for an equaliser late in the game, but United held on to secure a win. Mbeumo has already shown that he remains indispensable for the Red Devils’ plans at the moment, but new signing Santos also gave another reminder of his qualities against Los Rojiblancos.
Santos was outstanding for United
Santos was heavily involved once again, screening the back line as well as picking up passes. The Brazilian was on the pitch for 82 minutes before Carrick rang the changes, but by then he had once again left a lasting impression.
Santos had 90 touches of the ball in the game, the most of any player on the pitch and attempted 81 passes with a 93% passing completion rate. The 22 year old also registered three long balls, two of which reached a team-mate.
The Brazilian was involved in three duels and won all of them. However, he also lost the ball seven times in the game. Santos registered seven defensive actions, including three interceptions, three tackles, and one blocked shot.
The former Chelsea man, however, failed to register a shot in the game, although he displayed enough signs to suggest that he will be a key player for Carrick next season.
Andrey Santos Stats vs Atletico Madrid
| Statistic | Andrey Santos |
|---|---|
| Touches | 90 |
| Accurate Passes | 75/81 (93%) |
| Key Passes | 0 |
| Crosses (Accurate) | - |
| Long Balls (Accurate) | 3 (2) |
| Shots on Target | 0 |
| Shots off Target | 0 |
| Shots Blocked | 0 |
| Dribbles (Successful) | 0 (0) |
| Duels (Won) | 3 (3) |
| Ground Duels (Won) | 3 (3) |
| Aerial Duels (Won) | - |
| Possession Lost | 7 |
| Fouls | - |
| Was Fouled | - |
| Offsides | - |
| Defensive Actions | 7 |
| Clearances | 0 |
| Blocked Shots (Defensive) | 1 |
| Interceptions | 3 |
| Tackles (Won) | 3 (3) |
| Dribbled Past | 0 |
| Notes | - |
| Position | M |
| Sofascore Rating | - |
Source: Sofascore.
Final Thoughts
United signed Santos to help reinforce a midfield depleted by Casemiro’s departure, and he appears to have settled in well so far. The Red Devils’ decision to move for the player raised quite a few eyebrows, but he could prove to be a bargain as the season progresses.
Andrey Santos’ game by numbers vs. Atletico Madrid:
100% duels won
93% pass accuracy
90 touches
33 carries
7 passes into the final third
3 interceptions
3 recoveries
2 tacklesTop performance in the middle of the park. 🔝 pic.twitter.com/gj2DGaZMGC
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 1, 2026
Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
