Manchester United's US Tour Comes to an End: 5 Takeaways for Every United Fan

Pre-season tours are always fun; you see new signings playing for the first time, the youths breaking into the first team, strikers scoring a lot of goals, new ideas being implemented by the manager, and so on. For United fans, things were no different precisely.

 

With Erik Ten Hag making it clear that Manchester United doesn't play "friendlies," the Red Devils made a great start to their US tour with 3 back-to-back wins over Leeds, Lyon, and Arsenal. However, the tide turned when a young line-up took the field against Wrexham, as they were easily thrashed 1-3 by the newly promoted League 2 side.

 

Following the defeat, United went on to lose 2-0 to Spanish giants Real Madrid and 3-2 to Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund in the final match of the US tour.

 

Although this wasn't the way Ten Hag wanted the US tour to end, there were enough takeaways (both positive and areas for improvement) for the disciplinarian tactician and the fans alike. Here are 5 key takeaways from the pre-season tour in the US that will impact Manchester United's upcoming 2023-24 season:

 

●      Sancho as False 9: When Jadon Sancho broke out in the world of football, people compared him with the great Lionel Messi. (Ain't every wonderkid is compared to him?) But he failed to live up to the hype since joining United for a staggering €85 million in 2021. However, this could be Sancho's season to prove his worth to United and the fans worldwide. As it seems, Ten Hag is planning to deploy Sancho as a false 9 for the 2023-24 season. (2011 Messi reloading?) Sancho's excellent ball control, fast decision-making, and quick passing can all prove crucial if he continues in the role for the next season. The US tour, and particularly the game against Dortmund, showed why this could be Sancho's redemption year.

 

●      Youths are ready for the next step: The pre-season has made it clear, if it wasn't before, the youths of Manchester United are ready to take the next jump. Kobbie Mainoo, Hannibal Mejbri, Alvaro Fernandez, and Facundo Pellistri are all roaring to go. Others like Dan Gore, Brandon Williams, Shola Shoretire, and Isak Hansen-Aarøen were promising but need to go out on loan and develop further before being ready for the first team. With Ten Hag known for developing the youths within a club, it would be interesting to see how these youngsters develop and carry the United flag in the future.

 

●      United needs a Target Man: In football; if you want to win, you need to score goals. That's the simple rule of thumb! And it was clear from the pre-season tour that United is lacking in the finishing department. With Martial remaining injured for most of the season, and Rashford's preference to play on the left channel rather than as a 9, United desperately needs to sign a new striker.

 

●      Cas+Bruno+Mount = Destruction: Once the season starts, the trio of Casemiro, Bruno, and new signing Mason Mount will give nightmares to opponent players and the manager. With the players complementing each other perfectly with their own skill sets, watching the trio taking on opponents would be a treat to watch.

 

●      Need a backup CB: It's clear that Varane and Martinez will retain their slots in the heart of United's defense. The pair was extraordinary last season, and Ten Hag will be hoping nothing less this year, too. But with Champions League football back at the Theatre of Dreams, alongside other cup competitions and a hectic PL schedule, it will be unwise to not have a backup CB who can step up when the time comes. With Maguire far from being the player he used to be and Lindelof lacking in physical aspects, United needs to sign a backup CB to reduce the workload on the dynamic duo of Varane and Martinez. With Varane at the wrong end of his 30s, a young CB with lots of potential can be United's way forward.

 

 

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