Man Utd ratings: Mbeumo and Cunha have Red Devils fans excited, but Ugarte worryingly miles off the pace
Ruben Amorim 's side twice squandered leads on the night, but still did enough to win the Premier League Summer Series.
7
Skipper Bruno Fernandes fired the Red Devils into a 19th minute lead from the penalty spot, after James Tarkowski was adjudged to have fouled Amad Diallo in the box.
Iliman Ndiaye levelled for the Toffees before half-time, profiting on a poor mistake by Manuel Ugarte to score.
A brilliant strike by Mason Mount might have won it for United, but for Ayden Heaven 's freak own goal 15 minutes from time.
Here is how SunSport's Martin Lipton rated each Red Devil in Atlanta.
Altay Bayindir - 5
Keeper's United future is decidedly uncertain and all the reasons for that were again in evidence.
Slow reactions to Garner's free-kick should have been punished by O'Brien although he could do nothing about Ndiaye's strike.
United need a reliable back-up to Andre Onana. It's hard to make a case for the Turk deserving that responsibility.
Leny Yoro - 7
Third start in a row for the French, a clear sign that Amorim has him in mind to be the right-sided defensive starter.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
His callowness at times is on display, as you should expect.
7
There are occasional errors but the potential is unquestioned and one tackle on Beto after De Ligt was dumbfounded was crucial. He would surely welcome more help than Amad will ever give him, though.
Matthijs de Ligt - 5
Had the task of neutering Beto's threat but looked lumbering at times. Too often, when asked to defend, United stand off their men rather than forcing errors.
The Dutchman is unlikely to ever change at this stage in his career and you can envisage him and Maguire being in and out of the team all season. Strikers with genuine pace might be licking their lips.
Luke Shaw - 6
England veteran will probably be the man in possession on the left of the defensive trio for the start of the season and his emphatic backing for Amorim was a significant pointer of dressing room buy-in.
But Shaw will know this was not one of his more persuasive performances as he seemed ill at ease whenever Everton opted to run at him. Doesn't help when the midfield is a leaky bathtub.
7
Amad Diallo - 7
Clearly viewed as a wing-back this season and unleashed his rocket speed well to create Cunha's opening before winning the penalty converted by Fernandes.
A real threat going forward yet his defensive weaknesses - clear once again in the 'Big Peach' - will surely be targeted by opponents as the season wears on. Can you risk him against the top Premier League sides?
Manuel Ugarte - 4
The Uruguayan insists he is now ready for the Premier League. He will have to be better prepared than he was in Atlanta - as he was nowhere near good enough.
Everton appeared to feel they could force errors by putting him under pressure. They were not wrong, catching him in possession for Ndiaye's equaliser. This system will always see the most defensive midfielder exposed at times.
7
Kobbie Mainoo - 5
Amorim is adamant the England midfielder can make a genuine first team claim and that he is fitter and more mobile after the pre-season campaign.
Yet it is hard to make the case that Mainoo has progressed over the past 12 months. Still not entirely sure what sort of player he is going to be or if he can fit this United shape..
Diogo Dalot - 6
Portuguese defender, one of the six-man 'leadership group', started on the left - although that would make him Dorgu's likely understudy.
Did make one really key intervention in front of his own goal as simple centres from Everton left United looking more than vulnerable and happier when moved to the right for the second half.
Bryan Mbeumo - 7
First outing in a United short for the £71m recruit from Brentford, who drifted off the right hand side with purpose and penetration.
Superb instant switch of play led to the penalty and his willingness to forage on either flank was evidence that the Cameroonian will instantly upgrade United's forward threat. Would have loved to cap his display with a goal but understandably has debut run-out restricted to 45 minutes.
Bruno Fernandes - 7
A third goal of the US Tour and second from the spot for the skipper, who is expected to reject the latest Saudi offer and remain at United, although if Sesko is bought he will have to play deeper than he did last night.
Saying that, the way he played in and around Mbeumo and Cunha suggested United might not have to sign the Slovenian to have real attacking threat, with Fernandes showing creativity and enterprise throughout although spat with Ndiaye was utterly needless.
Matheus Cunha 7
The Brazilian was asked to fill the central attacking role, rather than playing off the front man, although the trident gave him the opportunity to roam at times.
Prodded wide of the far post when he might have done better early on but the run in behind was excellent.
The feeling remains he is a scorer of great goals more than a great goal scorer. United surely need someone who can do the ugly stuff in front of the net.
Subs:
Patrick Dorgu (for Mbeumo, 46) 7
One of the stand-out successes of the US Tour and his entrance on the left saw Dalot switch flanks and Amad move further forward. Instantly improved the United left with the ball.
Ayden Heaven (for Yoro, 57) 6
Teenager walked into a defence that was being worryingly stretched and did his best to bring more security. Own goal was not his fault at all.
Harry Maguire (for Shaw, 57) 6
A little bit of calmness is always welcome. Been there, got the tee-shirt. May not have the starting shirt, though.
Mason Mount (for Mainoo, 57) 8
Mount is desperate for an injury-free campaign and goals like he produced to put United back in front win this one will only help his cause. Terrific finish from 16 yards.
Casemiro (for Ugarte, 72) 6
Brazilian cannot lose the pace he never had. And surely he is smarter and more streetwise than Ugarte. 6
Rasmus Hojlund (for Cunha, 72) 6
Dane knows his United days may be numbered, even if that is against his will. All he can do is try to prove Amorim he can do a job.
Tyler Fredricson (for De Ligt, 88) 6
A late run-out for the youngster. Something more for him to remember from his fortnight Stateside
7
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool new boys impress before Cody Gakpo steals the show vs Bilbao
LIVERPOOL 3-2 ATHLETIC BILBAO: Cody Gakpo scored twice at the right end and once at the wrong one as Liverpool ran out winners over Athletic Bilbao in their second match of the night You couldn't keep Cody Gakpo out of the action as Liverpool won their second of two friendlies on the same evening against Athletic Bilbao. After a second string side, inspired by teenager Rio Ngumoha, had won the opening friendly of the night 4-1, Gakpo scored twice at the right end and once at the wrong one in an eventful 15 minute period in the second half. Earlier Mo Salah had given the Reds the lead after being teed up by Hugo Ekitike, before Oihan Sancet levelled. In the second period Gakpo pounced after Unai Simon spilled a Ryan Gravenberch effort, and after he inadvertently headed Maroan Sannadi's effort into his own net, the Dutchman fired through Simon's grasp for what proved to be the winner, although there was still time for Salah to miss a penalty. Here are the game's main talking points. 1. You can't take your eyes off Florian Wirtz There are some players who just move differently, and Florian Wirtz is one of them. The German is obviously going to become a focal point of the way Liverpool attack, and with one swivel of the hips in the opening exchanges he seemed to fool half of the crowd as well as the Athletic defenders. Playing with his socks rolled down, there is a old school look and feel about him, but amid the excitement over the possible move for Alexander Isak it shouldn't be forgotten that the Reds have already secured one of world football's premier attackers this summer. He twice came close to scoring early on, and he promises to be a lot of fun. 2. Hugo Ekitike makes his mark... and Mo Salah will be impressed If there is one thing that you can do to endear yourself to the Anfield crowd it is give your all. If there is one thing you can do to endear yourself to Mo Salah it is give him an assist. Hugo Ekitike managed to do both of those things in opening 15 minutes here, impressing supporters with his strength and energy and then demonstrating both as he teed up Salah for the opener. He might still end up being a work in progress, but the raw materials are clearly there for him to make an immediate Premier League impact. 3. The defensive question isn't going away With Virgil van Dijk sitting both friendlies out with illness, and given there's still no sight of Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate was the last recognised central defender standing across the 180 minutes. Andy Robertson and Trey Nyoni had done the job in the first game and Wataru Endo was stationed alongside Konate for the second, but Arne Slot would not to be starting a meaningful game with any of those players at centre-back, and so a new addition in the role is crucial. The Reds did not cover themselves in glory for either Athletic goal, particularly the second, and concerns are sure to be raised. Sporting director Richard Hughes, seen watching on in Anfield's Main Stand, has some big business to do in the next month. 4. Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo are set for big seasons Some players kick on after lifting major honours and take their games up a gear, and that could well end up being the case for Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo. The arrival of Wirtz had led many to claim that the Hungarian would be the man to miss out in the Liverpool midfield, but his versatility means he could actually end up playing more matches. Stationed in a deeper role, he was aggressive and always looking to put Liverpool on the front foot, with one particular piece of skill bringing the crowd to its feet. Gakpo, too, dominated the left hand side of the attack and was a constant menace, scoring two goals - either side of his own goal - and looking like he's enjoying the knowledge that he'll be the first pick on the left with Luis Diaz gone. 5. Anfield pauses to remember Diogo Jota This was, of course, Liverpool's first match match at Anfield since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota last month, and the Portuguese was on the minds of many both before and during both friendlies. The most touching tributes came in the 20th minute of both, when the action stopped and both sets of players led the crowd in an ovation for the Portuguese as Jota's chant boomed all around Anfield. Reds defender Kostas Tsimikas was also sporting a new tattoo he's had done in honour of Jota in the first match, reading 'Wish you were here' with the No.20. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The Guardian
24 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Analyzing preseason friendlies is maddening, but right now it's all we have
Glory for Manchester United, who lifted the Premier League summer series on Sunday despite twice being pegged back by Everton to draw 2-2 in Atlanta. A degree of relief for West Ham, who beat Bournemouth to finish second in the competition despite all the gloomy prognostications about their campaign to come. In Seoul, meanwhile, there was a very Tottenham moment as they followed the glee of last week's 1-0 win over Arsenal with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle in which James Maddison was stretchered off with a knee injury described by his manager Thomas Frank as 'bad'. It all looks real, it sounds real and yet everybody knows it isn't real. That even now, in this age of data and minute analysis, there remains an element of randomness, is one of soccer's great joys as a sport. But that tendency is magnified in pre-season. The Premier League has been away for 10 weeks now. For those hooked on its soap opera, the wait is intolerable. The Club World Cup, the England men's team being dreadful in June as they so often are, the Under-21s continuing their unfamiliar excellence, even the women's Euros … none of it quite offers the same hit. Obsessing over transfers suffices only for so long; eventually there is a need to see them play. And so there are pre-season games, and there is is analysis. The best of it is skeptical, acknowledging the absurdity of making judgements on 45 minutes. The worst of it is breathlessly insistent – of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, the two senior players United have managed to sign, appearing together against Everton. What does it mean that Rasmus Højlund was only on the bench? Does that mean Benjamin Šeško is more likely to sign? The front three, with Mbeumo dropping deep and Cunha and Bruno Fernandes at times running beyond him, looked fluent. Fernandes and Mbuemo set up Amad Diallo, overlapping from wing-back to score the opener. This is the way Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 is supposed to work. In that, at least, there is a sense of something tangible, a United that is, at last, able to execute their manager's attacking plan. But Ayden Heaven's own goal was a reminder that United remain as self-destructive as ever. Perhaps more significant was the equaliser conceded after Manuel Ugarte lost possession, the lack of urgency to get back. Did this happen because it was only a friendly and United are nowhere near peak fitness yet? Or because this is an irredeemably feckless bunch of players? This is smoke on a foggy day. Will any of it be relevant when the season begins for real? United fans will remember ruefully just how good they looked in pre-season under Louis van Gaal in 2014, only for the season itself to prove anticlimactic. The problem with assessing pre-season games is that different sides are at different stages of readiness. Some expect to hit the ground running from week one; others are building to peak in March or April, the differences magnified two weeks before the opening day. Some managers are working on specific plans and are less bothered by the whole, some are just hoping to get semi-competitive minutes into their players' legs. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion In the old days, before Premier League teams went on foreign tours and everybody was desperately promoting themselves to a global audience, pre-season was about team bonding as much as anything else: the team that drinks together wins together, as the adage had it. The stories are legion: the Everton winger Peter Beagrie driving a motorbike through a plateglass window in San Sebastián; Sunderland's diminutive but extremely tough full-back John Kay terrifying a much larger local who had threatened him by casually eating the antiseptic cubes from a urinal in Bristol; Arsenal's French midfielder Gilles Grimandi joining five of his English teammates on a night out in Switzerland where the first round comprised 35 pints of lager and a dry white wine. Many managers, you suspect, would quite relish a return to the days, if not of booze, then at least of pre-season being a largely private affair rather than a projection of the club to the world. Very occasionally something consequential happens, such as Chelsea conceding four in the second half to an experimental New York Red Bulls led by Jesse Marsch in the summer of 2015, the first sign that something had gone badly wrong for José Mourinho's side since winning the Premier League two months earlier; within five months, Mourinho had been sacked. (It was also the debut first-team appearance for Bournemouth and US national team midfielder Tyler Adams, then 16 years old.) Pre-season is very much the phoney war, the jockeying, the probing. It matters to the clubs, but to outsiders it is essentially like watching an artist mix his paints. There's anticipation and a vague technical interest, but it means nothing until it starts being applied to the canvas. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@ and he'll answer the best in a future edition.
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Raheem Sterling's latest brutal Chelsea snub proves there is no way back for him under Enzo Maresca - with forward training away from first-team squad
Raheem Sterling tops a list of nine Chelsea players who have been brutally banished from Enzo Maresca 's first-team - and from the club's website. Sterling, 30, and his fellow outcasts do not feature in Maresca's plans next season and as such, none of them have a profile or photo in the Blues' first-team section. The forward spent the previous campaign on loan at Arsenal and Chelsea are actively working to ship him out permanently during the summer window. He moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City just three years ago in a deal worth a little under £50million, having won four Premier League titles at the Etihad. However, his stint at Chelsea rapidly unfolded into a nightmare, resulting in him making a last-ditch switch to North London, where he scored one goal in 27 matches. Maresca has made it clear that Sterling is not included in his plans and the clock is now ticking as the Blues look to find buyers for their unwanted players. Mail Sport reported that those up for sale, such as Sterling and left back Ben Chilwell, are expected to continue training separately to Maresca's main group. Chelsea have spent big this summer, splashing the cash on forwards Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens from Brighton and Borussia Dortmund respectively. That resulted in Sterling slipping further away from the first-team picture - and off the website. Two other players who do not have profiles, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu, are set to join Premier League newcomers Burnley after a day of breakthroughs. Their exact fees have not yet been confirmed but are likely to be around £20m each. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is another on his way out. Indeed, as reported by Mail Sport, Everton began talks over a deal worth an inital £25m plus add-ons. The midfielder set Chelsea back £30m when they swooped to bring him in from Leicester City last season, but he made just two top-flight starts under Maresca. Academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist is also missing a first-team profile on the website, joining Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Renato Veiga and David Datro Fofana in the doldrums, and on the edge of Maresca's bloated senior group. Officially, there are 31 players currently listed as first-teamers. However, several big names who have made the cut could also find themselves leaving before the window slams shut on September 1, such as Christopher Nkunku. Mykhailo Mudryk has been given a profile photo despite being charged by the FA for violating its anti-doping rules after failing a drugs test. He faces a four-year ban. Mudryk has not played for Chelsea since November 28 and cannot train.
