Manchester United take on Rosenborg BK this evening in their second pre-season match. The Norwegians are currently in the middle of their season and sit 10th in the Eliteserien with 15 points from 13 games.
Manchester United have never played Rosenborg BK in a competitive fixture, but they have faced them in pre-season friendlies before.
This has occurred once in the 1970s, once in the 1990s, and as recently as 2024.
Here are three things to look forward to.
JJ Gabriel
During the club’s first pre-season match against Wrexham, an academy side played the entire second half.
It is unclear whether any players will get more than 45 minutes today, but one player fans will be eager to see is JJ Gabriel.
The 15-year-old took the academy by storm last season and has been regularly training with the senior side over the past few months.
So talented is the youngster that he has been labelled “Kid Messi” due to his outrageous skill.
It is widely expected that this incredible talent will make his senior debut at some point this season, but fans could see him in action for the first team for the first time ever in this evening’s game.
Can Andrey Santos follow it up?
The Brazilian is the only new signing in action at the moment.
Karl Darlow and Tynan Thompson have been left at Carrington as they did not travel with the squad to Norway. Youri Tielemans is still on holiday after his World Cup displays for Belgium.
Santos was one of Manchester United’s most impressive players during the game with Wrexham, and he will be eager to follow up this fine form in front of his new supporters.
History versus Norwegian teams
Manchester United were actually defeated 1-0 last time out in 2024 against Rosenborg BK, with Noah Holm scoring a late winner.
They have only played against Norwegian opposition once in a competitive match, which was against FK Bodø/Glimt in November 2024 in the Europa League.
The Red Devils came out on top 3-2, with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.
JJ Gabriel Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U18 Premier League | 23 | 22 | 23 | 3 | - | - | 1,968' |
| FA Youth Cup | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | - | 588' |
| Total | 29 | 28 | 26 | 4 | 3 | - | 2,556' |
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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