Match Report: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United (3-4 pens)
Manchester United kicked off the club’s tour of the United States with a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in Inglewood, California in the early hours of Sunday morning in what was a mixed bag for fans on a variety of fronts.
The Red Devils and the Gunners also faced off in an unconventional, pre-arranged penalty shoot-out after full-time, with United coming out on top by a 4-3 scoreline. The format echoed the much-anticipated clash between the two sides in pre-season last year, when United came out 2-0 winners (5-3 on penalties) at the MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey.
In his starting eleven, Erik ten Hag included the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire and Casemiro- all touted by supporters to potentially leave the club during the ongoing transfer window. Youngsters Harry Amass, 17, and Toby Collyer, 20, also had their opportunity to perform at the 70,000-seater SoFi Stadium, with Rasmus Hojlund starting at centre-forward fresh from the revelation that he will be the club’s new no.9 following the recent departure Anthony Martial.
The manager spoke to club media pre-match, highlighting his desire for his players to play true to their identity- “playing aggressive” and wanting to play out from the back. His comments came amid many fans wanting to see more consistent, progressive patterns of play in the third match of pre-season.
Match Report
First Half
Starting XI: Andre Onana (GK), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (RB), Harry Maguire (CB), Leny Yoro (CB), Harry Amass (LB), Casemiro (CDM) ©, Toby Collyer (CDM), Mason Mount (CAM), Amad (RW), Marcus Rashford (LW), Rasmus Hojlund (ST).
Substitutes: Tom Heaton (GK), Radek Vitek (GK), Sam Murray, Will Fish, Rhys Bennett, Jonny Evans, Sam Mather, Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay, Hannibal Mejbri, Maxi Oyedele, James Scanlon, Ethan Wheatley, Jadon Sancho, Jack Fletcher, Antony.
It was almost a nightmare start for Yoro in his second appearance for the club after the ball slipped beneath him to let Gabriel Jesus through on goal, but the French centre-back made a pacey recovery to offset the Brazilian striker.
Straight after, Mount looked like he had a pathway to goal himself alongside the rest of the forwards before Jorginho cynically took his former Chelsea teammate down and was fortunate to get away without a booking.
Amad almost opened the scoring after five minutes when Mount pulled it back from the left wing, but the Ivorian’s scuffed effort was saved by Karl Hein in between the sticks.
A diving Onana denied Ethan Nwaneri, renowned for being the Premier League’s youngest player after making his debut at just 15-years-old from the bench a couple of years ago, in impressive fashion after the United defence was carved open.
The fast start to the game was rewarded with a goal on the ten-minute mark when Hojlund outmuscled Ayden Heaven on the turn and slotted it through the legs of the goalkeeper to put his side into the lead. The new no.9- kitted out in the new royal blue away shirt- truly made life hell for Heaven who simply could not stop the Dane.
Rashford’s fine assist is worthy of mentioning, too, with the winger hitting a darting first-time ball from the left-back position inside his own half, managing to keep the ball down the left wing on the half turn.
Very unfortunately, the goal scorer was forced off just moments later after tweaking a muscle when getting on the end of Wan Bissaka’s breakaway cross. Mejbri replaced him.
The attacking continued in a hurry for Ten Hag’s side when Amad’s effort was blocked after the winger cut inside onto his left foot in a similar fashion to how he did against Rangers last time out when he opened the scoring.
Jesus tapped home an equaliser in the 25th minute after he escaped Amass at the far post before converting Nwaneri’s left-hand side cross. Mikel Arteta’s side can certainly be considered fortunate upon viewing replays, with one, if not two dubious offsides before the ball hit the net. VAR would have had something to say about that one.
Building on the heaven-hell pun, one might say that Jesus got one up on the devils.
Mount almost fired his team back into the lead before the half-hour mark when he found space on the right-hand side of the box, but the Englishman was comfortably denied.
The manager and fans alike had their heads in their hands when Yoro was forced off after the drinks break. Manchester-born Bennett, 20, replaced the €62m man.
Aside from Maguire thunderously latching on to Mejbri’s lay-off inside the box and Collyer’s spirited run from the midfield, the action dwindled towards the end of the first forty-five minutes.
Second Half
Starting XI: Andre Onana (GK) ©, James Scanlon (RB), Will Fish (CB), Jonny Evans (CB), Sam Murray (LB), Maxi Oyedele (CDM), Christian Eriksen (CM), Scott McTominay (CAM), Antony (RW), Jadon Sancho (LW), Ethan Wheatley (ST).
Substitutes: Tom Heaton (GK), Radek Vitek (GK), Sam Mather, Jack Fletcher.
Ten Hag made wholesale changes at the interval, except from Onana who retained his place in goal. Arteta opted to make just two substitutions in the form of Salah Oulad M’Hand, on for Nwaneri in central midfield, and Jakub Kiwior, on for Heaven in central defence.
Onana made a fantastic stop just shy of the hour when Arsenal were gaining momentum; the Cameroonian stopper tipped over a powerful close-range effort from Leandro Trossard who had worked the ball onto his left foot inside the eighteen-yard box.
Antony hit a trademark finessed effort high and wide before Arsenal made changes two-thirds of the way into the game. Jorginho, Trossard, Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko made way for Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Josh Nichols, Fabio Viera and Gabriel Magalhaes.
After McTominay was bafflingly denied a free-kick on the edge of the area, Evans showed a couple of pieces of calculated defending to stop the forwards in their tracks as Arsenal probed for a lead.
Eddie Nketiah, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli entered the field of play for Jesus, Martin Odegaard and Reiss Nelson with around seventy minutes on the clock.
Martinelli skinned Scanlon on the left wing and fired a cross towards Havertz, but Eriksen showed an unorthodox defensive side to his game with a deft interception to take it out of the German forward’s eyeline.
Martinelli had the better of the Gibraltar international again when he accelerated into the box from the same wing before poking it into the near corner on his favoured right foot to put Arsenal into the lead in the 81st minute. It capped an unfortunate period of the game for Scanlon, 17, who is not a full-back by trade.
Evans had a 92nd minute equalising header ruled out from a looping ball after Wheatley was deemed to have fouled goalkeeper Heim as Arsenal ran out winners.
The post-match penalty shootout saw Viera (scored), McTominay (scored), Kiwior (missed), Evans (scored), Havertz (saved), Wheatley (missed), Martinelli (scored), Eriksen (scored), Gabriel (scored) and Sancho (scored) all step up to take a spot kick as Man United gave the fans something cheer as 4-3 winners.
Final Score: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United (Jesus 26’, Martinelli 81’) (Hojlund 10’) (3-4 pens)
Player Ratings
First Half: Andre Onana (6), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (6), Harry Maguire (5), Leny Yoro (6) [Rhys Bennett on 35’ (6)], Harry Amass (7), Casemiro (6) ©, Toby Collyer (7), Mason Mount (7), Amad (6), Marcus Rashford (6), Rasmus Hojlund (6) [Hannibal Mejbri on 16’ (6)].
Second Half: Andre Onana (GK) ©, James Scanlon (5), Will Fish (6), Jonny Evans (6), Sam Murray (6), Maxi Oyedele (6), Christian Eriksen (6), Scott McTominay (5), Antony (5), Jadon Sancho (5), Ethan Wheatley (6).
Man of the Match
Although Mount has earned praise for an impressive first half showing, Collyer stood out in the eyes of many supporters for a strong half against a good Arsenal side at a young age.
The youngster was tenacious and combative in the middle of the opposition’s midfield three, occasionally setting United up on the attack as possession was turned over.
He fit in effortlessly alongside experienced captain Casemiro in central midfield and the pair complimented each other’s game nicely.
Collyer- touted by many to be the next youth player to break through under Ten Hag’s management- has racked up a considerable amount of minutes in the first three games of pre-season and has shown consistent good performances so far.
The Bigger Picture
It was truly a game of two halves for United in California. The first half saw some attacking fluidity with the likes of Mount, Amad, Rashford and Hojlund linking up well. Even after the unfortunate injuries to Hojlund and Yoro, United looked the better side, with the equalising goal clearly offside in one way or another.
The second half, however, saw very little attacking flair. Fans might rightly question why senior players such as McTominay, Antony and Sancho struggled so much to make an impact on the game. As much as the pre-season excuse may stand, fans might ought to expect better. Eriksen and Evans put in respectable showings around the likes of Fish, Oyedele and Wheatley who all looked good. Scanlon did not have his best game, but harsh criticism is unjust given his age and lack of experience as a full-back.
Ten Hag spoke before the game about wanting his side to impose their style of play on the opponent, and that wish came to fruition in the first half. Hopefully this is something that will continue throughout pre-season before the real campaign kicks off.
People are nervously awaiting the verdict on both Hojlund and Yoro following their abrupt departures due to injury. The speculation says that neither will feature much or maybe even at all throughout the remainder of the US tour.
It is never good to lose, but with plenty to take from the ninety minutes and a consolation penalty shootout victory, the Reds will head onto the next one hoping to further improve.
What Comes Next?
Man United next face Real Betis at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California on Thursday 1st August at 03:00 (BST).
After that, the Reds play Liverpool at the Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina on Sunday 4th August at 00:30 (BST).
Ten Hag and Pep Guardiola will then meet again when Man United contest Man City in the English Community Shield at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 10th August at 15:00 (BST).
