Manchester United beat Rosenborg 5-0 in Norway on Friday night to continue pre-season.
As Manchester United thumped Rosenborg 5-0, there was plenty to like and also dislike in Trondheim. You can check out our live coverage of the game, and also the United player ratings across United in Focus.
What is your INSTANT REACTION as Manchester United beat Rosenborg 5-0
Who impressed you most and why?
Here are what I liked and disliked from the game.
Likes
Shea Lacey’s goal: Ahead of pre-season, Shea Lacey was the talent many thought would properly breakout and catch fire for Manchester United. Well, against Rosenborg, Lacey scored a delightful goal, and his performance was all-around very impressive. From his hard work to his positioning, the goal was a reward, and it should affirm his position within the first-team. This season is lining up to be his breakthrough.
Harry Amass continued excellence: One of two substitutes on at half-time was Harry Amass, and he was excellent again, replacing Luke Shaw and looking like the much better player. I have long believed Amass is ready to step up and play a part in the first-team and this performance affirmed that. There is no way he isn’t a senior player for United next season. Goal and an assist for Amass today.
Radek Vitek getting a proper chance: Despite Radek Vitek looking to leave United for first-team football this summer, Carrick appears keen to give him a proper chance, as he played over 70 minutes against Rosenborg, more than any other player. Vitek is too big a talent to simply allow to walk out the doors this summer; he could seriously compete with Senne Lammens.
Joshua Zirkzee’s confidence: Often criticised for his performances – and fairly – Joshua Zirkzee looked like a man reborn for United against Rosenborg on Friday, playing with lots of confidence and getting himself a very special solo goal, along with an assist. I have been ready to draw a line under Zirkzee’s time at United, but this performance shows he still has a lot to offer.
Mason Mount and Andrey Santos as a midfield pairing: While Mason Mount and Andrey Santos won’t be United’s starting midfield pair, I have been pretty surprised at how impressive they have been together in the opening two games. Both play with intensity and are quality on the ball. Lots to like, I can only assume that Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans will be playing in a similar way within this Carrick system.
Which Manchester United academy star impressed you the most vs Rosenborg?
Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams all scored, but there were so many impressive performances!
Jaydan Kamason: I knew Jaydan Kamason would get his chance with no senior right-back on tour, but I wasn’t expecting him to take the tour by storm. Kamason notched two assists against Rosenborg with a display that showcased what he is all about. With Noussair Mazraoui rumoured to have interest, United shouldn’t fear selling, as Kamason is ready to replace him.
Jacob Devaney’s goal: Playing at centre-back again, and Jacob Devaney once more didn’t let that impact his desire to impress. Two minutes after coming on, he made it 3-0 with a well-taken strike. Such an impressive talent who continues to kick on.
Academy players giving Michael Carrick a headache: The players mentioned were all great, but so were Dan Gore, Chido Obi, Ethan Williams, and others. This all creates competition and gives Carrick a welcome headache, with no academy players deserving of being dropped. I am a big believer in United needing to trust in the academy, and this pre-season is proving it.
Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro finally play together: United haven’t seen Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro as the centre-back pairing in the 18 months they have been teammates. But against Rosenborg, that finally changed. They only got around 15 minutes but didn’t put a foot wrong. I assumed we would see a lot more of this in the coming weeks and months; they are the future.
Dislikes
No JJ Gabriel: Pre-game, all the focus was on JJ Gabriel and how he was going to fare in senior competition for the first-time. So it was a bit of a bummer that he didn’t get a run out in the end. I’m not mad at the decision; he is still so young and has a lot of development to do, but at 5-0, he should have been given a few minutes to get a feel for the speed of the game. Hard to imagine he gets the time against Atletico Madrid.
Poor attendance: Like in Helsinki, United didn’t attract a huge crowd to face Rosenborg, with large pockets of the stadium empty. There were factors causing this, with ticket prices high and Rosenborg fans far from thrilled with the friendly. But it was still disappointing to see so few fans in the stands.
Seagulls inside the stadium: Another gripe I had with the venue was the presence of seagulls flying around throughout the match. It was impossible to ignore, as they even came close to getting involved in the game. It was widely complained about on social media, and it isn’t a factor I will miss about playing in Trondheim.
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