Bryan Mbeumo notched a brace as Manchester United collected further pre-season minutes during a 2-1 win against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm.
Arnau Ortiz’s cross-come-shot found its way past Tom Heaton inside five minutes, setting the tone for an entertaining afternoon.
The travelling Reds responded brightly, dominating the first half and creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities amidst passages of some very promising play.
But both of United’s goals came after the restart, with Mbeumo converting from the penalty spot before sealing the winner following some fine work by Jack Fletcher.
Morten Hjulmand did strike the woodwork late on for Diego Simeone’s side, but United claimed the Snapdragon Cup and a deserved result with their second summer victory.
As was the case against Wrexham and Rosenborg, few will be getting ahead of themselves following a pre-season outing, regardless of the outcome.
That said, the collective performance offered plenty to whet the appetite, along with several encouraging individual displays for Michael Carrick to contemplate.
Both of Mbeumo’s goals came via contributions from academy prospects, as Shea Lacey led the way in winning his side’s penalty, once more underlining why he is so highly regarded at Carrington.
Additionally, Leny Yoro shone in Diogo Dalot’s absence on the right side of defence, giving Ademola Lookman a day to forget with seven ball recoveries, three clearances and as many interceptions.
Ahead of him, Andrey Santos dictated forward transitions with precise line-cutting deliveries and ended the day with a total carrying distance of 248.5 m to accompany a 93% pass completion.
Not forgetting his station ahead of the defence, offering seven defensive contributions, three interceptions, two ball recoveries and a 100% duel success rate. Not bad for a Chelsea reject so far, eh?
Mason Mount was utterly sublime alongside his Brazilian teammate, cutting a serenity-incarnate figure in a complementary deeper role.
Say what you will about narratives or nonsensical agendas, but the 27-year-old appears to be thriving under Carrick’s tutelage and will be eager to maintain his fitness.
It can be a foolish game to build expectations after largely meaningless summer sessions. Louis van Gaal can attest to that sentiment.
Nonetheless, Carrick can be pleased with his side’s progress since enduring defeat against Wrexham. And with a plethora of World Cup players to welcome into this squad, the 45-year-old is entitled to feel optimistic.
“I enjoyed it. I thought there was a lot of good in things that we’re looking for, and trying to improve on and working on,” he stated afterwards.
“So far, through the three weeks of the pre-season, and building on what we did for the last six or seven months, I think there are a lot of good signs for us.
“It’s the stage it’s at, it’s never going to be exactly perfect, and there’s always things we want to get better at.
“But I thought there was a lot of positives: individual, collectively as a team, senior players looking strong and fit, and the younger players doing really well. So, yeah, really good day for us.”
United will be back in action on Saturday week, facing the all-conquering Paris Saint-Germain at 4 PM BST in Gothenburg.
Let us know your thoughts following a promising win against a typically dogged Atleti in the comments or across our social channels.
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