Manchester United kicked off their pre-season campaign by stuttering to a goalless draw with old adversaries Leeds United on Saturday afternoon in Stockholm.
The Red Devils travelled to Sweden for their opening friendly but failed to inspire their Scandinavian audience inside the Strawberry Arena during the first half. They mustered just one shot on target as Chido Obi took aim from a tight angle, with their only other notable sight at goal coming when Casemiro’s deflected delivery bounced off the crossbar.
Things didn’t get much better for Man Utd after the restart as they struggled to find their rhythm or create clear-cut chances. If it were not for some smart saves from Tom Heaton, Leeds could well have opened the scoring early in the second period.
Man Utd made a firmer push for victory in the closing stages of the encounter and came agonisingly close to taking the lead with two minutes to spare. An almighty scramble from a corner saw Kobbie Mainoo strike the crossbar, with Ayden Heaven inexplicably failing to convert the rebound as the Red Devils had to accept a draw from their first preseason friendly of the summer.
An uninspiring showing from Man Utd. / IMAGO/Bildbyran
Player
Rating (Out of 10)
GK: Altay Bayındır
6.7
CB: Noussair Mazraoui
7.1
CB: Matthijs de Ligt
6.4
CB: Luke Shaw
6.4
RWB: Amad Diallo
6.5
CM: Toby Collyer
6.3
CM: Casemiro
6.3
LWB: Diego León
6.6
RF: Bruno Fernandes
7.3
ST: Chido Obi
5.9
LF: Matheus Cunha
6.3
SUB: Tom Heaton (46’ for Bayındır)
7.1
SUB: Leny Yoro (46’ for Mazraoui)
6.6
SUB: Harry Maguire (46’ for De Ligt)
6.7
SUB: Ayden Heaven (46’ for Shaw)
6.8
SUB: Diogo Dalot (46’ for Amad)
7.0
SUB: Manuel Ugarte (46’ for Collyer)
6.8
SUB: Kobbie Mainoo (46’ for Casemiro)
6.4
SUB: Patrick Dorgu (46’ for León)
6.5
SUB: Mason Mount (46’ for Fernandes)
6.4
SUB: Rasmus Højlund (46’ for Obi)
6.4
SUB: Bendito Mantato (46’ for Cunha)
6.4
SUB: Tyler Fredricson (74’ for Maguire)
6.1
SUB: Jack Fletcher (80’ for Mantato)
6.0
Subs not used: Dermot Mee (GK), Godwill Kukonki, Reece Munro, Sékou Koné, Ethan Williams.
Sean Longstaff made his first Leeds appearance. / IMAGO/Every Second Media
Player
Rating (Out of 10)
GK: Karl Darlow
7.1
RB: Jayden Bogle
7.6
CB: Joe Rodon
6.9
CB: Jaka Bijol
6.7
LB: Sam Byram
6.4
DM: Ethan Ampadu
6.4
DM: Ilia Gruev
7.5
RW: Wilfried Gnonto
6.7
AM: Ao Tanaka
7.1
LW: Jack Harrison
5.9
ST: Lukas Nmecha
6.4
SUB: Sebastiaan Bornauw (46’ for Rodon)
6.8
SUB: Pascal Struijk (46’ for Bijol)
6.1
SUB: Gabriel Gudmundsson (46’ for Byram)
6.0
SUB: Largie Ramazani (46’ for Harrison)
6.2
SUB: Sean Longstaff (46’ for Ampadu)
6.2
SUB: Joël Piroe (46’ for Nmecha)
6.3
SUB: Dan James (46’ for Gnonto)
6.4
SUB: Illan Meslier (54’ for Darlow)
7.1
SUB: Sam Chambers (77’ for Tanaka)
6.1
SUB: Harry Gray (77’ for Bogle)
6.0
SUB: Charlie Crew (86’ for Gruev)
N/A
SUB: Rhys Chadwick (90’ for Piroe)
N/A
Subs not used: Alex Cairns (GK), Rory Mahady (GK).
