The club captain, Bruno Fernandes, slotted home a penalty before setting up Mason Mount in a 2-2 draw with Everton. The two goals crowned the Red Devils as winners of the Premier League Summer Series.
The Premier League Summer Series is a pre-season friendly competition hosted in the United States of America. This edition consisted of four teams: Manchester United, Everton, West Ham United, and Bournemouth. Manchester United already secured 2-1 and 4-1 victories over West Ham United and Bournemouth, respectively. The 2 wins and a draw in the final game proved enough to crown Manchester United as the winners.
Learnings From Manchester United vs Everton
In an otherwise promising pre-season campaign from the Red Devils, the draw against Everton was disappointing. The skipper Bruno Fernandes was particularly critical stating, “Our performance wasn’t the best and we were a little bit lazy today. We want to avoid that because with laziness you can pay at any moment.”
Altay Bayindir, replacing the injured Andre Onana had a shaky performance in goal. It is yet to be seen if Amorim can trust him to replace Onana for the first game of the season against Arsenal.
The game saw summer signing Bryan Mbeumo in a Manchester United shirt for the first time. The former Brentford winger showed great potential, showcasing his strong ball-carrying ability. Having joined the side’s preseason squad late he was struggling with match sharpness and fitness. His half-time withdrawal was pre-planned by head coach Amorim, to manage his minutes.
Leny Yoro and Bruno Fernandes stood out in all three matches in the competition. Bruno Fernandes once again showing why the club made the right decision to reject Al-Hilal’s £100m proposal. Leny Yoro on the other hand is destined to have an incredible season. A favourite for Ruben Amorim, he’s slotted into Amorim’s system brilliantly. Time and again, the Frenchman drives the ball forward to create danger. He also often finds his teammates by playing diagonal passes.
Mason Mount also had an impressive performance, naming himself on the scoresheet. His goal, reminiscent of his first against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final.
Also read: Official: Tottenham Captain Son Heung-min Announces Exit After 10 Years at the Club
What’s Next For Manchester United?
The Red Devils face old foes Arsenal in their opening Premier League tie on August 17th. Club captain Bruno Fernandes has urged the club to make at least one or two more new signings. “But it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here, more quality to get everyone to step up a little more to get to the XI, and I think that is what the club is trying to do. Hopefully, we can get one or two players more to help with that.”
The club is already reportedly in talks with RB Leipzig to add Benjamin Sesko as the new No. 9. The talks of a midfielder to support Bruno Fernandes have also been ongoing, but no clear candidate has been identified as of now. The club may also look to sign a first-choice keeper to replace Andre Onana. Whether they will act on Donnarumma’s availability is another question.
Manchester United have a difficult start to the Premier League season. The Red Devils are set to face Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea within their first five Premier League games. Ruben Amorim will look to continue the side’s pre-season form into the campaign to boost confidence among the squad.
Written By: Thillai Ritvik
