Five things for Ruben Amorim to take from Manchester United’s draw with Leeds
Matheus Cunha (centre) is closed down by Ao Tanaka and Wilfried Gnonto - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
Manchester United’s first game of pre-season ended in a 0-0 draw to Leeds United at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm. Telegraph Sport analyses what head coach Ruben Amorim will have learnt.
Cunha’s encouraging debut
Matheus Cunha’s United debut was barely 15 minutes old when he had a stern word with Luke Shaw, telling the defender to ensure he fizzed the ball into him with more pace. A minor point maybe but Amorim wants players who will raise United’s standards and Cunha, it is clear, seems unafraid to speak his mind.
United’s new £62.5 million signing from Wolves was given a 45 minute run out and, in one instance, darted between two Leeds players with a quick, clever turn of pace before drawing the foul 30 yards out. In another moment, Cunha was sizing up to shoot on the edge of the box and frustrated by Chido Obi ignoring his instruction to leave the ball and instead opt to shoot on the spin. United need more cutting edge and goals and Amorim liked what he saw.
“I think Matheus showed what we need,” he said. “That he is a player when he receives the ball between the lines can be really aggressive in the direction of the opponents. We watched that during last season in a different team so we expect the same thing. Of course you can see the connection between him and Bruno [Fernandes] is still not there but it’s going to be a good connection.”
Cunha will operate in one of the two positions behind the striker in Ruben Amorim’s system - Getty Images/Linnea Rheborg
Midfield concerns
United remain in the market for a midfielder and it is easy to understand why. Fernandes aside, they do not have naturally athletic midfielders and, in Amorim’s system, it is vital to have players who can cover the ground.
“We have a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park and you can feel it is hard to win the ball,” Amorim said. “We have a lot to improve, the speed of the game, all the details. We have to put [in] the quality but this club is not just about the effort. It’s the quality.”
Given United’s shortage of pace, physicality and mobility in central midfield, it is hard to believe they can allow this summer window to close without addressing those shortcomings. Casemiro, at 33, cannot be expected to start every week, Manuel Ugarte still has much to prove and Amorim is not convinced by Kobbie Mainoo as one of the two No. 6s.
Diego Leon gives club a decision to make
Diego Leon was another to make his United debut in the first half but Amorim must decide whether to keep the 18-year-old Paraguayan - a £6.5m signing from Cerro Porteno - or send him out on loan. He was slow out to Jayden Bogle early in the game and then failed to track the Leeds’ right back’s run as he was released by Wilfried Gnonto although left centre-back Luke Shaw was sluggish when pushing up into midfield and leaving space in behind for their opponents to exploit.
“We have to understand that the kid came from Paraguay, it’s his second week at Manchester United,” the United head coach said. “He did really well. He’s learning things, he’s powerful, he’s going to be a very good player.”
18-year-old Diego Leon impressed for United - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
Heaton impresses
With Andre Onana facing a race to be back for the start of the season due to a hamstring injury, Amorim has a goalkeeping dilemma. Altay Bayindir started against Leeds but it was third choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who signed a one-year extension at the end of the season, who stood out, making a couple of excellent saves in the second period. United have scouted a number of goalkeepers who could provide increased competition for Onana, including Senne Lammens at Royal Antwerp and Botafogo’s John, but Heaton may sense an opportunity to unexpectedly force his way into the team in the short-term.
US tour chance to bond
Bryan Mbeumo is due to undergo a medical at Carrington on Sunday as he finalises a £71m move from Brentford and the Cameroon forward is expected to fly out with the rest of the squad to Chicago on Tuesday for the start of their pre-season tour of the US. After a tumultuous past 12 months, in which up to 450 staff have been cut, Amorim views the two week trip to the US as a vital opportunity to strengthen the bond between players and staff.
“It’s really important, I think we need to create that bond between everybody - not just the staff,” he said. “All the changes are stopping so we need to live that as a group.”
04:33 PM BST
Ruben Amorim speaks
It was a pre-season game. The gaps between our sectors was sometimes too big. We have a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park, you can feel it. I think Matheus Cunha showed what we need, that he’s the player when he receives the ball between the lines he can be really aggressive in the direction of the opponent.
04:18 PM BST
Marcus Rashford closing in on move to Barcelona
Marcus Rashford is on the verge of a dream move to Barcelona with agreement close over a loan deal for the Manchester United forward.
The 27-year-old has made it clear that the Catalan club is his preferred destination after being told he can leave Old Trafford. Now the England forward appears to be moving up the list of targets at Camp Nou as others fall away.
According to sources both clubs are on the same page over a loan deal to the La Liga champions, with an official agreement seen as a formality, raising Rashford’s hopes of going from United outcast to playing up front for one of the most glamorous clubs in European football.
04:05 PM BST
Full time: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Planety to encourage Leeds there and Manchester United will be pleased by the performances of Matheus Cunha, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot. And Tom Heaton but he’s not going to play (though they could and have done a lot worse). Any game that uses 47 players is never going to all that coherent.
04:03 PM BST
90+2 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
The second of three added minutes ends with Dorgu again cutting off his wing centrally and is picked out by Dalot in the D but balloons a right-foot shot over.
04:02 PM BST
90+1 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Both sides should have scored, Ramazani when Leeds broke the offside trap and then Man Utd from the corner and again just then when Dorgu’s shot hit Hojlund.
04:00 PM BST
89 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Goal-line save from Meslier to save from Heaven after Hojlund’s looping back-post header was thumped into the bar by Mainoo’s own header.
Chadwick replaces Piroe.
03:58 PM BST
87 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Crew slides in to knock Dorgu’s cross behind for a corner after Mount played him down the wing with a handosme pass.
03:57 PM BST
85 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Chambers, an attacking midfielder by trade, is moonlighting at right-back. Looks fine going forward but there have been a couple of hairy moments defensively.
After the longest shift of all 44 players used so far, Gruev is replaced by Charlie Crew.
03:54 PM BST
83 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
From the corner which Bornauw heads away Mount bends a cross towards the right post from the left of the box that drifts round Meslier, Hojlund and the far post. But Meslier might have had his heartv in his mouth for a second.
03:53 PM BST
81 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Dorgu goes flying in the box but tripped over his own feet then gets up to spin on a loose ball and hammers a near-post shot that Meslier saves and turns behind.
03:50 PM BST
79 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Leeds free-kick after Manchester United are penalised for shoving at a corner. The attendance is announced: 45,345.
Dalot boots Gudmundsson to concede another free-kick.
Jack Fletcher, son of Darren, replaces Mantato.
03:48 PM BST
77 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Meslier is quick off his line to snaffle a throughball meant for Dorgu who hurdles the keeper. Leeds break quickly with Longstaff picking out Ramazani. Gudmundsson makes the dummy run on the underlap and Ramazani tacks infield but rather scuffs his shot and makes it easy for Heaton.
Tanaka and Bogle make way for Gray and Chambers.
03:45 PM BST
75 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Fredricson replaces Maguire who has had 28 minutes.
Chambers and Harry Gray, Archie’s younger brother, are coming on for Leeds at the next break in play. Both are forwards.
03:44 PM BST
74 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Uagrte makes the space for a shot with a deft first touch but then drags the daisycutter diagonally and Meslier can flop on to it diving to his right.
Now for another drinks break.
03:42 PM BST
72 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
All Leeds so far in this second half and United are greatly to Tom Heaton for making a couple of good saves. Ruben Amorim’s side struggling to keep the ball and build any attacks.
03:41 PM BST
71 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Dorgu’s overhit cross drifts far too deep for Hojlund to do anything with it other than desperately keep it in. Gudmundsson then boots his header away.
03:39 PM BST
69 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Gudmundsson goes storming through the middle and loses his balance but still scoops the pass to Piroe running down the inside-left. His control is surefooted but Heaven is round on the cover to clear the danger.
03:37 PM BST
67 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Tanaka is fouled by Dorgu and Leeds have a free-kick on halfway.
03:35 PM BST
65 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Good save from Heaton when Ramazani beats the offside trap, played on by Heaven and through by Piroe’s dinked pass, and wraps his right instep around a shot from the left. Heaton pushes it away from goal and James who was sniffing for the rebound.
03:34 PM BST
62 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Struijk cuts out Hojlund’s pass from the left after the striker swapped positions with Dorgu and tried to find the left wing-back on the underlap. Leeds break and Heaven clotheslines James rather than dealing with his pace.
03:32 PM BST
60 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Ramazani is caught offside after Leeds break following Hojlund hitting the deck and not buying a free-kick off the referee with his dive. Piroe crossed with his left from the inside right to the left of the penalty spot. Up went the flag as Heaton raced out.
03:30 PM BST
58 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Good pass from Mainoo opens up Leeds down the Man Utd right but Dalot delays the pass and Hojlund, who looked offside, could only then flick it on rather that get a shot off and Meslier smothers.
03:28 PM BST
56 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Piroe plays a canny reverse pass with his left to put Bogle in behind to shoot across goal and Heaton turns it behind for a corner which Gruev flicks on with his shoulder and Tanaka shins wide at the back post. Should have scored. Struijk may have put him off.
03:24 PM BST
54 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Yoro has pinged a couple of excellent diagonal passes. And now his straight ball over the top for Dalot is put behind by Gudmundsson. Nothing comes from the set piece.
03:23 PM BST
52 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Manchester United sweep passes across the back three until they trigger a break up the right with a ball ahead of Dalot who hammers over a deep cross that evades everyone in the box and even Dorgu cutting in off the wing.
03:21 PM BST
50 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Bogle gets his toe in to stop Dorgu taking possession on the left of the box.
03:20 PM BST
48 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Tanaka is still the more advanced of Leeds’ midfield three. Scrappy start since/because of all the changes.
03:18 PM BST
46 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Only Bogle, Gruev and Tanaka have stayed on for Leeds.
03:16 PM BST
Mass substitutions
Eleven for Manchester United: Heaton; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven; Dalot, Ugarte,Mainoo, Dorgu; Mount, Mantato Hojlund
For Leeds on come Meslier, Gudmundsson, Ramazani, Longstaff, Piroe, Bornauw, Struijk and James.
03:03 PM BST
Half-time verdict
Cunha has had some fine touches - AMA/Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
A very low key first half in United’s opening pre-season friendly with Leeds. A few bright little flashes from new £62.5m signing Matheus Cunha but it’s pretty one paced in the main. Leeds were a threat on occasion down their right with Luke Shaw and teenage summer signing Diego Léon struggling to communicate on occasion. Casemiro’s deflected cross bounced back off the crossbar in stoppage time. Lots of changes expected in the second half.
03:02 PM BST
Half-time: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
On the evidence of that you would conclude that Matheus Cunha is going to be a terrific signing, as he should be given his class and the price they paid. Leeds have looked pretty solid but are going to have to find a way of creating more opportunities to score.
03:00 PM BST
45+1 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
The referee misses Rodon’s shove on Amad. But it’s Amad who plays a nice pass from the right half a minute later, slipping Casemiro in behind Byram. Amapadu, covering, gets a toe on the cross that diverts it on to the crossbar and out to the Leeds right. Gnonto misses the header but Leon couldn’t capitalise.
02:58 PM BST
45 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Casemiro shuts the door just when Tanaka thought he had made the space to shoot so he had to turn and go for option B, a cross for Gnonto out on the right of the box but the Italy winger was a yard offside.
02:56 PM BST
43 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
First real effort on goal from either side when Casemiro slips a clever reverse pass to Amad to the right of the penalty spot and he he lays it off looking for Cunha to hit it with his right but Obi wants it and swivels on to it to thump it with his left, well wide of the left post. Cunha lets him know that he was better placed.
02:54 PM BST
41 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Casemiro wafts a left-foot shot from 25 yards over the bar. Ben Thornley thinks it was a mishit pass but I’m not sure you can mishit a pass 10 rows back.
02:53 PM BST
39 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Ampadu is penalised for a foul on his oppo, Bruno Fernandes, and the replay shows him he had him gripped by the slack of his shorts.
02:51 PM BST
37 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Cute pass from Cunha on the 18-yard line to play Amad in down the right of the box but he couldn’t get his shot on target and he sends it whistling a long way wide of the post.
Gnonto and Cunha
02:49 PM BST
36 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Bogle plays a one-two with Tanaka to bypass Shaw and he tries to thread a left-foot pass from the inside right towards the penalty spot for Nmecha but Bayindir gets there first.
02:47 PM BST
34 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Nice combo with Shaw in to Cunha and on to Obi. Nothing is quite clicking yet but the passes are getting snappier and the movement of team-mates being read.
02:46 PM BST
32 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Amad comes over to the left and uses his pace to skirt inside Rodon who legs him up to stop him breaking through. Tanaka’s classy control in the box stops the attack from the free-kick but Bogle loses it and Obi has a shot from a very tight angle that Darlow parries away with no other United player in the box to feed off it.
02:43 PM BST
29 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Some proper tackles going in now and Harrison nips it away from Collyer but with Tanaka free he fails to pick him out. Then Cunha almost gets free with a clever run from the inside-right but again his touch isn’t good enough so early in pre-season.
02:41 PM BST
28 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Leeds are not letting Bayindir play out from the back and he doesn’t have the precision with his long kicks to use that as a reliable tactic either.
02:39 PM BST
26 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
The camera pans to Leeds investor Will Ferrell in the crowd as the match is stopped for a drinks interval after Nmecha is winded in a challenge with De Ligt as he backed into the defender before they fought for a header.
02:36 PM BST
24 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Byram cuts in on to his right from the left and swings a cross to the near post, looking for Nmecha but De Ligt stepped ahead to head it back out. Thirty second slater De Ligt tries to clear Bogle’s cross with his right foot and hooks it into his own chest. Big cry of ‘hand ball!’ but he vigorously rubs his chest to convince the referee.
02:34 PM BST
22 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Tanaka turns blind and launches a pass up the right that Gnonto wasn’t anticipating. Manchester United have been starved of the ball and still seem a bit confused about how to close space between the lines.
02:32 PM BST
19 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Bayindir boots a long pass straight into touch and Leeds build again from a throw-in on the right, Gnonto spinning Leon’s blood with a feint and roulette to lay it off to Tanaka.
02:31 PM BST
17 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Byram is penalised a second time for a needless foul on Amad but does better against the winger/wing-back when Cunha spins to bend a pass out to the right. Byram times that tackle better and knocks the ball out.
02:30 PM BST
15 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Daniel Farke, for once, is not dressed up as Robert Smith of the Cure and in a non-black shirt he waves to Bogle to take a throw-in and hurl it back to build from the central defenders which he does. Bijol and Gruev work it up to Gnonto who is tripped by Shaw out on the right. Leeds free-kick, taken by Harrison but it gets nowhere because they’re caught offside.
02:26 PM BST
13 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Free-kick, inside left channel, 35 yards out. Bruno Fernandes tries to find Obi at the back post but he can’t get his tame effort anywhere close.
Ruben Amorim
02:24 PM BST
11 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Leon’s a proper unit at the age of 18 and Bogle just bounced off him when winning a throw-in. In Casemiro, Shaw and Leon they certainly have some heft. Enjoying more of the ball now, Shaw dinks a pass between Gnonto and Tanaka and Cumha drives into that space, hitting the deck when the two in blue come together like sliding doors.
02:22 PM BST
9 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Nmecha drops deep to take possession and spins a pass out to Tanaka who slips as he crosses into the box from the right which means it comes in flat. Shaw turns it away and Cunha draws a foul from Ampadu.
02:20 PM BST
7 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Bogle, the Championship Cafu last season, gets the better of Cunha and bombs up the right but then switches play to the left as they patiently probe. No doubt they have been the better side so far. They look sharp.
02:18 PM BST
5 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
Leeds tear Man Utd open down the right with Gnonto’s pass playing Bogle into acres after a one-two. Leon was nowhere and Bogle floods into the space. His whipped cross hits Casemiro’s boot as he lunged in and loops up for Mazraoui to clear with a vital header just before Nmecha could get there.
02:16 PM BST
3 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
The main camera position is ludicrously high making the players, the diminutive Willy Gnonto particularly, resemble ants. Leeds press Shaw and De Ligt s they try to play out from the back and they go back to Bayindir who hits it long. Tanaka pounces on to possession and feeds it out to Gnonto who runs at Shaw and has his cross blocked by the left centre-back.
02:14 PM BST
1 min: Man Utd 0 Leeds 0
After a one minute’s silence for Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, the two teams wearing black armbands, Manchester United kick off attacking from right to left. Obi knocks the ball back to the right, bathed in sunshine, and they launch a long diagonal that is headed back upfield by Bogle and back to Bayindir.
02:09 PM BST
Out come the teams
Leeds are in royal blue with yellow flashes, Manchester United in white with lilac trim.
02:06 PM BST
Five minutes to kick-off
Traffic problems delayed the start but the stadium looks fairly full now.
01:58 PM BST
Photography
Manchester United’s photographer is the only one uploading his work to our suppliers so far, in case you were wondering why there are no shots of Leeds warming up etc.
01:36 PM BST
Kick-off delayed
The match will start at 2.10pm BST.
01:36 PM BST
Ruben Amorim speaks to MUTV
Ruben Amorim says Manchester United have to get back to winning ways - Manchester United via Getty Image/Ash Donelon
It’s good to be back. It’s important from these games to understand where we are as a team. We are focused on the first game of the season and we need to take advantage of any minutes in pre-season to try some things. I need to see effort from Matheus and if he is understanding the position, the movement of the team. He doesn’t need to think too much, just to do his job.
We have proved already that you have the chance [if you’re young] to play for Manchester United but you have to deserve it. They [young players] need to be prepared. The demands of this club are that we have to do so much better than last season. We need to give something to these fans and to prepare for the season because what they want is to see Manchester United winning games again.
01:28 PM BST
Gary Kelly, Michael Bridges and Dom Matteo are there
If you’ve ever wondered what Gary Kelly is up to these days, I went to visit him a few years back and he is doing wonderful work in his home town and throughout Ireland.
01:25 PM BST
Manchester United arrive at the stadium
01:21 PM BST
Leeds United transfer news
Leeds are reported to have agreed a fee with Hoffenheim for Anton Stach, a 6ft 4in, 26-year-old central midfielder who won two Germany caps in 2022.
01:18 PM BST
On MUTV
Ronny Johnsen, a Treble hero, says he understands that Manchester United will be playing different XIs for each half.
01:14 PM BST
In the interests of flogging polyester
Manchester United are playing in white, Leeds United in blue.
01:03 PM BST
Your teams in black and white
Manchester United: Bayindir; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Collyer, Casemiro, Leon; Cunha Bruno Fernandes; Obi.
Leeds United: Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Bijol, Byram; Ampadu, Gruev, Tanaka; Gnonto, Nmecha, Harrison.
01:01 PM BST
Leeds United team news
01:00 PM BST
Manchester United team news
11:10 AM BST
Inside Manchester United’s 50-day summer rebuild – and the huge challenges ahead
Ruben Amorim has seen Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo join Manchester United and the club remain in the market to fill other positions
For Manchester United’s director of football and chief executive, there was a little light relief from the all-encompassing matter of the club’s summer transfer business this week.
Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada spent a couple of days in Iceland at Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s invitation, principally to discuss all things United in more relaxed surrounds but also to enjoy a spot of fly-fishing, one of the many passions of the club’s billionaire co-owner.
From there, Wilcox and Berrada were due to fly to Stockholm on Saturday morning to watch United take on newly-promoted Leeds United at the Strawberry Arena in their first friendly of what, unsurprisingly, is a huge season for the club and their head coach Ruben Amorim.
Fifty days have passed since United’s worst campaign for more than half a century finally drew to a close in a hot and humid Hong Kong, where they played the second of two rather unwelcome post-season tour matches, the first of which had ended in defeat to an ASEAN All-Stars XI in Kuala Lumpur and a chorus of boos from fans.
11:06 AM BST
Preview: New beginnings?
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the pre-season friendly between those cross-Pennine foes Manchester United and Leeds United from Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena, the national stadium and home of AIK. These two met in the city two years ago when Leeds had just been relegated and Man Utd emerged victorious to the tune of 2-0 by virtue of goals from Noam Emeran and Joe Hugill, which gives you a flavour of the intensity of a pre-season fixture at the end of the first week of pre-season training. It’s a far cry from the passion of a rivalry fuelled by hate for the 61 years since the FA Cup semi-final of 1964 but Scandinavia where the two clubs rival only Liverpool for reach since their glory days, will try to kindle even a low-burning encounter into something more significant.
Manchester United finished in 15th last season, their worst league campaign since 1989-90, but have begun their remodelling with the signings of Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon while Bryan Mbeumo will complete his transfer imminently. Johnny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen have all left and Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia have been told to find new clubs and are training at unsociable hours in the bomb[ed out] squad. We know what tactics Ruben Amorim will employ, having said he is prepared to die on the hill of 3-4-3. Let’s see if his players can make it work now after last season’s disarray.
As for Leeds, who finished at the top of the Championship with 100 points after losing in the play-off final the previous year, their new signings have been designed to bring them the athleticism and heft they feel will be the key to survival. While they have plenty of money left up their sleeves for two bigger purchases in goal and up front, they have recruited two centre-backs, Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw, a left-back, Gabriel Gudmundsson, a midfielder, Sean Longstaff, and a forward, Lukas Nmecha while losing Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon, who were on loan last season, Junior Firpo and Max Wöber.
Under Daniel Farke they have stuck with 4-2-3-1 for two seasons but that was in the Championship in which they dominated possession. The sense now is that they will switch to a more dynamic 4-3-3 this season or possibly even use three at the back at times which will favour solidity and the counter-attacking strategy around which they are building their hopes of bettering the fates of the last six promoted sides.
Sign up to the Front Page newsletter for free: Your essential guide to the day's agenda from The Telegraph - direct to your inbox seven days a week.
