Rangers 0 United 2: Five things that stood out

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Manchester United were much improved in the second game of pre-season, grafting to a 2-0 victory over Rangers in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Reds were back on UK soil, after Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Rosenborg in Trondheim, and watched by a huge crowd of 56,574 at Murrayfield – a stadium that is associated with rugby union, rather than football.

It was an interesting afternoon throughout, with new signing Leny Yoro travelling up with the squad just two days after joining the club on Thursday, and there were some really intriguing performances from several Reds.

So, what are the takeaways? What do you need to know about Saturday’s events? Read on to find out, but it’s also worth noting that the match will be broadcast on MUTV again from 19:30 BST, for those who missed it, and will also be streamed across the app and ManUtd.com.

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ENTER YORO

Social media was alive with excitement about a potential debut for our new French recruit, and Erik ten Hag slotted the teenage defender straight into our starting XI for pre-season match no.2. And the stylish defender did not disappoint, delivering a performance that oozed with simplicity and assuredness.

You can read an extensive dive into Yoro’s performance in this article, published earlier on ManUtd.com, but be sure to watch the game in full to get a comprehensive view of Leny’s maiden bow in the shirt.

SANCHO’S RETURN

While Leny was clocking in for United appearance number one, Jadon Sancho was on the field for his first United game for almost 11 months. The forward started on the left, and wasted little time in showcasing his dexterous footwork and clean technical skills. He interchanged well with youngster Sam Murray, who played the first half at full-back, and looked sharp throughout.

IS AMAD THE MAN?

United’s best player in a really bright first-half performance was undoubtedly Amad, who scored the game’s sublime opening goal and ran Rangers’ backline ragged with his positive running and close control. The Ivorian missed our game in Trondheim on Monday, but given how he played here, and how he finished 2023/24, with those memorable goals against Liverpool and Newcastle, there seems to be every chance that this could be the year Amad stakes a really meaningful claim on that right-wing spot in our starting XI. Promising.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

United’s younger players struggled somewhat on Monday, against a fit Rosenborg team, but here they responded with a performance of real heart and tenacity. Sam Murray and Toby Collyer got right amongst it in the early stages, as some passionate tackles went in from both sides, and in the second period, despite long periods where Rangers dominated possession, our lads dug in and protected the 1-0 lead earned by Amad’s goal really well. Then, we got our reward, via the stunning finish that Joe Hugill applied to Maxi Oyedele’s astute through ball.

UNRIVALLED SUPPORT

Everywhere United go, there’s passion. But it strikes you especially powerfully during pre-season, and Scotland was no exception. Before the game, I spoke to people from the Lake District, Aberdeen, Burnage, Bradford and London, and I’m sure that list would go on and on if you’d gone around Murrayfield carrying out a census.

“You made it past border control, then?” joked one local steward, after enquiring where an English family had travelled from. And that jesting comment summed up the friendly vibe that was prominent across the entire day. 

It’s fair to say that this passed off much more peacefully than the infamous 1974 friendly between these two clubs, which saw fans from both teams engaging in some of the worst football violence ever seen at Old Trafford. But here, the vibe was pleasant, positive and enjoyable. Thankfully, the result was too.

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