Red Devils fans saw Leny Yoro for the first time and the return of Jadon Sancho
Manchester United bounced back from their defeat to Rosenborg by beating Rangers 2-0 in a match that provided plenty to discuss.
There was the return of Jadon Sancho after 11 months in the wilderness. Leny Yoro, signed from Lille this week, impressed after being thrust into the starting line-up. And United supporters were left to rave about Amad Diallo, who was the star of the show in an exciting first-half display which he capped off with a goal.
A number of young players were given an opportunity throughout the game and two of them combined for United’s second, Joe Hugill firing in off the underside of the bar from Maxi Oyedele’s assist.
But while Yoro and Amad provided the positives, Casemiro presented more concerns for Erik ten Hag and Sancho flattered to deceive.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Murrayfield.
WINNER: AMAD DIALLO
Amad was far and away the standout player in the first half, and that was before he scored United’s opening goal. The 22-year-old excited on occasion towards the end of last season, and he continued that at Murrayfield with an encouraging 45-minute display full of pace and attacking threat.
The Ivory Coast international created chances for Ethan Wheatley and Sancho and capped off a fine performance by cutting in from the right and firing a fierce effort into the far corner in the 39th minute.
On this form, there’s no doubt that the winger will see even more first-team action this season.
Mr Popular! 👏
🇨🇮 @AmadDiallo_19#MUFC https://t.co/2WHa15tbeO pic.twitter.com/1Ib4XPRE7u
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 20, 2024
LOSER: JADON SANCHO
Sancho has been reintegrated into the United setup and he was gifted a start on the left wing. It was the Englishman’s first appearance for the club since August 2023 and while he flashed some encouraging moments, he was overshadowed by Amad and didn’t stamp his authority on the match as much as he would have liked.
The issue for the 24-year-old is that Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford are ahead of him in the pecking order on the left. We’ve not seen enough of Sancho on the right to determine whether he can contribute there, but on this evidence Amad is a better option in that position. Sancho’s woes were summed up when he missed a great chance to score just before half-time, firing over the bar despite having time to pick his target.
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GettyWINNER: LENY YORO
United fans were given their first glimpse of their new signing and he didn’t disappoint. The 18-year-old looked confident and wasn’t afraid to show off his passing range, picking out left-back Sam Murray with a fine diagonal ball in the eighth minute.
Yoro’s recovery speed and strength was also on display when he denied Cyriel Dessers early on. He let his man go on a couple of occasions but that’s not a concern at this stage of pre-season.
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GettyLOSER: CASEMIRO
Was last season just an anomaly in what has otherwise been a fantastic career? It doesn’t look like it. Casemiro, urged to leave the Premier League by Jamie Carragher in May, produced a sloppy performance that will not have convinced his critics that he’s ready for another season of top-flight football.
The 32-year-old missed some easy passes and was bypassed comfortably when Rangers attacked, highlighting United’s need for a new central midfielder.
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GettyLOSER: CYRIEL DESSERS
There were high hopes when Rangers signed Dessers last summer but the club’s supporters will be calling out for a new No. 9 following the striker’s outing against United, which was compounded in the first half when his poor touch paved the way for Amad’s opener.
Source goal.com
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