Manchester United welcomed Jonny Evans back to the side against Lyon, with the defender slotting seamlessly into the side.
Pre-season is a time for young players to impress. And for Manchester United that was certainly the case in the friendly win over Lyon.
35-year-old Jonny Evans made his comeback, and looked like he had never been away. The defender has signed a short-term deal for the rest of the pre-season.
And on this performance, there is every chance the deal may be extended.
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Matej Kovar praises Jonny Evans
Goalkeeper Matej Kovar played behind Evans, with the Czech prospect playing all 90 minutes in the 1-0 win, keeping a clean sheet.
The 23-year-old spoke to club media after the victory, and said it was ‘a pleasure’ to be in the same team as Evans.
He said: “You could see he has plenty of experience. He has been playing Premier League week in, week out for how many years but you could see the experience he has.
“For a player like me, it is a pleasure to play with a player like that.”
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His comments show real respect for Evans, what he has achieved in the game, and what he still has to offer.
Kovar has shown real quality himself
Kovar also had Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in front of him in the first half too, a great learning experience for the young goalkeeper.
But he shouldn’t sell himself short either. Kovar won the Czech title with Sparta Prague last season and returns to the club with the experience of a regular and the confidence of a champion, and it has shown.
Kovar looks assured in goal, more like a number one than a number two. If the Andre Onana deal was not already tied up, then he would be giving his manager a real dilemma.
He was peculiarly not named on the 31-man USA tour squad, which suggests a loan deal could be likely. However, nor is Evans, with both players potentially travelling on a separate squad for the Wrexham game.