Manchester United began their pre-season campaign with a goalless draw against newly-promoted Leeds in Stockholm. After Ruben Amorims side recorded their worst-scoring Premier League campaign last term with 44 goals, there were little signs of improvement in front of goal despite starting new £62.
5m signing Matheus Cunha, who played the first half. In fact, Leeds arguably looked the most threatening over the course of the 90 minutes, with Daniel Farkes side having more of the ball in the first half and plenty more chances to take the lead after half-time.
How the teams lined up | Match statsPremier League pre-season: Fixtures and resultsEighty per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky SportsTeenage striker Chido Obi, who started alongside Cunha and Bruno Fernandes in Amorims attack, had Uniteds best first-half opportunities as he tested Karl Darlow from a tight angle.
The 17-year-old then took the ball off Cunhas toes inside the area – a demonstration of the work still to be done on the training ground to get Amorims attack on song. Casemiros deflected cross also crashed off the Leeds crossbar in first-half stoppage time.
Amorim then changed his entire starting XI at half-time but it was Leeds, who also made wholesale changes including giving a debut to Sean Longstaff, who had the better of the second period. Half-time substitute Joel Piroe set up two big chances for Jaden Bogle and two for Largie Ramazani, but the Whites could only find Tom Heatons gloves on every occasion.
Ao Tanaka also fired wide after a corner was flicked into his path at the far post. Amorims United thought they had a penalty when Patrick Dorgu was brought down by Sam Chambers but the referee waved it on, with the wing-back then forcing Illan Meslier into a decent save.
Man Utd then had the best chance of the afternoon as the clock ticked into 90 as Kobbie Mainoo hit the bar from a corner from just two yards out, with Ayden Heaven finding Meslier on the rebound from a similar distance.
Their problems were summarised with their last big chance of the game as Rasmus Hojlund got in the way of Dorgus goal-bound effort. Bryan Mbeumo is on his way to complete a £71m move to Manchester, but there is still a lot left to be desired about Amorims attack on the basis of this showing.
Transfer Centre LIVE! | Latest on YOUR PL club!Got Sky? Watch PL games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Amorim: We have a lack of paceManchester United head coach Ruben Amorim to MUTV: It was a pre-season game.
The distances between the sectors were really big sometimes. We suffered a little bit when we tried to press high, they kicked the ball high and won the second balls. They were dangerous in those moments.
We have a lack of pace. Especially in the middle of the park, you can feel its hard to bring the ball. But we created chances. We have a lot to do, but it was a first test against a Premier League team with two different teams.
A good test. Matheus Cunha showed what we need, a player in between the lines who is really aggressive. We watched that during last season for a different team [Wolves]. We expect the same thing. You can see the connection with him and Bruno Fernandes is still not there.
But it will be a good connection, because you can put a player like Kobbie Mainoo or Mason Mount there. We need to increase our quality in the final third. On Diego Leons debut at left wing-back: We have to understand that the kid came from Paraguay.
Its his second week at Manchester United. He did really well, hes powerful. Hes going to be a very good player. The environment is really good. Of course sometimes we are going to struggle, but what I felt in the first moment is that if we are going to struggle, we will struggle together.
That is the beginning of everything. Then we have to put the quality. This club is not just about the effort, its about the quality. We have to win games. We need to create that bond between everybody [on the United States tour] – not just between the players butthe staff.
All the changes are stopping. We need to leave that as a group. We have a lot to improve, the speed of the game, all of the details. We need to improve. Analysis: Man Utd need way more than MbeumoSky Sports Sam Blitz: Manchester United, its almost like you never left.
Yes, its the first game of pre-season which can lead to freak results anywhere. But no goals from 19 shots, players missing from a few yards out and even team-mates getting in the way of each other. A lot of work is needed on Amorims training ground.
A lot of eyes were on Cunhas first run-out but his 45 minutes featured very few sparks. The £62.5m signing from Wolves failed to get a shot away and to touch the ball in the opposition box. Obi taking the ball off Cunhas toes and Amorim admitting his relationship with Fernandes is not there yet meant it was a slow start in his new colours.
And Hojlunds display showed more frustration – falling over the ball at one stage in the box and then getting in the way of a late Dorgu strike. There were a few positives for Amorim as Leon looks a promising player at wing-back – though he was caught ball-watching at times as Leeds and Bogle rampaged down his flank.
Goalkeeper Heaton was one of the few United players who came out of that game with a bit of credit, making three or four sharp saves to put his name in the hat for the United No 1 spot, with Andre Onana currently out injured.
Talk about scraping the barrel though… Amad Diallo also looked sharp at wing-back – which is important in the context of Mbeumo coming into the team. But United need a lot more than the Brentford man to improve this attacking set-up.
Theres still a need for a new striker, plus more clarity in midfield and out wide. Theres now less than a month to go until Uniteds Premier League opener with Arsenal. An awful lot still needs to change on the pitch if Amorims project is going to take off.
Bamford no longer part of Leeds plansLeeds manager Daniel Farke has announced that Patrick Bamford is no longer in his plans for next season. Farke said on Bamfords future: I had an honest communication with him.
For me, at this stage he needs to be the main man, he needs the backing, the arm around the shoulder after difficult years to rebuild his confidence. After the last two seasons, I wasnt willing to take him on right now as the main man in the Premier League.
Sky Sports to show 215 live Premier League games from next season From next season, Sky Sports Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live. And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky Sports.
