Manchester United suffered their second defeat of pre-season on Saturday evening as they have been overwhelmed 2-1 by Arsenal in Los Angeles.
Issues began off positively for Erik ten Hag when Rasmus Hojlund made essentially the most of some poor defending to fireplace United in entrance at SoFi Stadium.
However United’s defensive frailties have been uncovered by the Gunners. Gabriel Jesus leveled issues up simply earlier than the break after which Gabriel Martinelli grabbed the winner afterward.
Right here, Mail Sport takes you thru 5 issues we realized…
Gabriel Martinelli scored the winner as Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 in Los Angeles
Recurring damage nightmare for United
If Manchester United have been hoping the damage nightmare of final season was a factor of the previous, they took a miserable step backwards in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on the SoFi Stadium.
Rasmus Hojlund and new £59million signing Leny Yoro each limped off earlier than half-time at hand supervisor Erik ten Hag a painful double blow.
Hojlund went down with what seemed to be a hamstring damage 5 minutes after firing United in entrance, and walked gingerly across the perimeter of the pitch in direction of the dressing-room following remedy.
Yoro additionally appeared to know immediately that one thing was significantly improper when he went down on his haunches simply after the half hour mark. The younger Frenchman, who accomplished his transfer from Lille simply in time to come back out on tour, wasn’t taking any dangers both and went straight off.
Ten Hag was requested about final season’s damage issues in his pre-match press convention and referred to the appointment of membership physician Gary O’Driscoll 10 months in the past and head physio Jordan Reece, each from Arsenal, as causes to be optimistic.
‘Now he can begin recent and be within the lead,’ mentioned the United supervisor. ‘We additionally modified methods in medical and efficiency to enhance.’ Solely 24 hours later, United have been dealing with some acquainted outdated issues.
Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro each got here off injured throughout the first half at SoFi Stadium
Hojlund offers Heaven hell
Hojlund solely lasted 1 / 4 of an hour of United’s first tour sport, however the Dane made a giant impression by scoring United’s first aim.
He confirmed actual power within the tenth minute to bulldoze his well past Arsenal defender Ayden Heaven earlier than burying his shot below goalkeeper Karl Hein.
United want a giant season from Hojlund whose first 12 months at Previous Trafford caught hearth round Christmas following a £73m transfer from Atalanta final summer time however tailed off in direction of the tip with Erik ten Hag choosing Bruno Fernandes as a false 9 in the previous few Premier League video games and FA Cup closing win over Manchester Metropolis.
He’ll want some help from new £36.5m striker Joshua Zirkzee with younger Ethan Wheatley additionally rising as an possibility. Ten Hag spoke in regards to the significance of power in depth on Friday and it was attention-grabbing that midfielder Hannibal Mejbri changed Hojlund within the first half right here.
United had Wheatley, Jadon Sancho and Antony on the bench, however Ten Hag had deliberate to make use of them within the second half and did not wish to danger overloading them by enjoying them for an additional half an hour.
Hojlund solely lasted 1 / 4 of an hour however the Dane made a giant impression by scoring first
Leny wants time to study
Leny Yoro will want time to adapt to English soccer regardless of his big status round Europe.
The younger Frenchman arrived at United from Lille this summer time as one of many brightest defensive prospects on the continent, and he oozed class on his debut towards Rangers final weekend. However he additionally made some primary errors and there was additional proof right here that he’s on a studying curve earlier than he went off injured within the thirty third minute.
There have been only some seconds on the clock when his mistake let in Gabriel Jesus, however Yoro had the velocity and agility to make up for his error – simply as he did towards Rangers at Murrayfield. Then shortly earlier than going off, he performed himself into bother near midway by being too elaborate and virtually had his pocket picked by Jesus.
He shall be a giant asset for United going ahead, however followers could need to be slightly affected person whereas he adapts to a brand new nation and league.
United followers could need to be slightly affected person whereas Yoro adapts to a brand new nation and league
Onana spot on for Utd
Andre Onana had a tough begin to his United profession when he was lobbed from the centre-circle by Florian Sotocas towards Lens in his Previous Trafford debut final August.
It knocked the Cameroonian’s confidence for some time earlier than he recovered to be a key performer below Erik ten Hag following a £47.3m transfer from Inter Milan.
A 12 months on, Onana is considerably extra snug as United’s No. 1 and he produced an assured efficiency within the SoFi Stadium. The spotlight was an excellent reflex save from Leandro Trossard within the second half, Onana having made one other wonderful cease from Ethan Nwaneri within the first half when the Arsenal man was offside.
There was little or no he may do in regards to the Gunners’ equaliser within the tenth minute when Gabriel Jesus received away from Harry Amass to attain on the far submit, or when Gabriel Martinelli took benefit of weak challenges from James Scanlon and Will Fish to attain the winner.
However he got here up trumps in a pre-agreed penalty shootout to make saves from Kai Havertz and Jakub Kiwior, and provides United some comfort from this all-English affair.
Onana is now snug as United’s No. 1 and produced an assured efficiency in LA
Antony and Sancho fall flat
It is a signal of the place they sit within the pecking order that Antony and Jadon Sancho began this match on the bench with Amad Diallo – who was United’s man of the match towards Rangers every week in the past – picked on the correct wing.
With mixed switch charges of £159m, neither participant has come near residing as much as expectation at United and each may very well be bought this summer time if the correct provide is available in.
Each Antony and Jadon Sancho (pictured) struggled to have any affect on the sport
Neither made a lot of an influence in Los Angeles as Antony made his first look of pre-season on the correct wing and Sancho his second on the left within the second half.
The stage was set for them to stake their declare for a spot in Ten Hag’s beginning XI for the sport towards Liverpool in Columbia, South Carolina, assuming the United boss performs a youthful facet towards Actual Betis in San Diego. No less than Sancho scored the decisive penalty within the shootout.
However this was one other alternative missed and at this price neither will begin within the Group Defend towards Manchester Metropolis on August 10, though Alejandro Garnacho is probably not accessible after returning late to coaching after the Copa America.
