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Several first-team players are set to play for Manchester United in Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Rangers, marking their first appearance for the club since the conclusion of last season.
On Monday afternoon, Man United faced Norwegian club Rosenborg in what was their first pre-season clash. Unfortunately, it was a dull affair, with the Norwegian club dominating proceedings and coming out with a last-minute 1-0 victory.
While a youthful squad consisting of players who are not first-team regulars, it was a below-standard performance, with manager Erik ten hag admitting that his team fell well short of expectations.
“We can talk and make good on everything that was bad, but I am not that guy. I have seen that this is not the standard for top football,” Ten Hag admitted.
“In top football we have much higher standards, as an individual you must make sure you are fit. I know you cannot be match fit in this moment, so we need these games to get there.”
One of the few if not the only silver lining from the game was goalkeeper Radek Vitek, who made seven saves and proved crucial in keeping the score line low.
Fortunately, it appears that United may have a significant boost against Rangers at Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday, perhaps helping them to avoid another dismal display.
The official United website confirmed that several first-team stars are expected to take to the pitch or at the very least be fit for selection, thereby expanding Ten Hag’s options.
Following the conclusion of Euro 2024, Scott McTominay has returned to training and completed his pre-season testing.
What’s more, goalkeeper Andre Onana, Jadon Sancho, and Amad Diallo have all been working out with the rest of the team, signalling their readiness to take to the field.
In addition, the team received an encouraging injury update.
“Meanwhile, there could also be a fresh face in defence, as Harry Maguire has stepped up his return to fitness,” the report read. “The centre-back was ruled out of the England squad for Euro 2024 due to injury, but is now back in full training with the Reds and will hope to feature soon.”
With the return of several key players as well as the signings of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, it will be intriguing to see how United fare during their pre-season. After the Rangers game, Ten Hag’s men will travel to the United States, where they will face Arsenal on 28 July, Real Betis on 1 August, and Liverpool on 4 August.
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