MATCH FEATURE: FIVE POSITIVES FROM UNITED
BEATING BARCELONA ON TOUR 2015
Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Barcelona in the
International Champions Cup was just as intriguing as
it was entertaining. Here, we discuss five positives that
stem from the match…
WE'VE BEATING THE EUROPEAN CHAMPION AGAIN! :
Overcoming the reigning Champions League holders has
provided a welcome confidence boost ahead of the new
season, but Louis van Gaal and the Reds are not getting
carried away by such a positive result. Experience has
taught them not to, having defeated Real Madrid during last
summer’s tour before losing the opening match of the
Barclays Premier League campaign. Could this experience
prove beneficial this time around? “We're a bit cautious,”
Luke Shaw told MUTV. “We'll take it game by game but the
most important match for us is the first one of the season
against Tottenham.”
STARTING XI vs TOTTENHAM? The boss admitted beforehand
that the starting XI against Barca is likely to face Spurs at
Old Trafford on 8 August, so it was fascinating to see who
he picked. Daley Blind was perhaps the surprise inclusion
at centre-back and the Dutchman is now favourite to retain
that position, which is no bad thing considering his
intelligent, commanding performance. David De Gea’s
excellent return was another positive, as well as Memphis
Depay’s growing relationship with Wayne Rooney.
ROONEY KEPT HIS WORD : “I am ready to take that mantle on
and be the one who gets the goals for us,” explained Wayne
24 hours ahead of kick-off at Levi’s Stadium – and he wasn’t
lying! The Reds captain needed just eight minutes to open
his account for the summer with a powerful header from
Ashley Young’s in-swinging corner, underlining his
predatory instincts ahead of an important season. The boss
is planning to use him as a striker and he expects goals, so
this was an encouraging start.
IN YOUTH WE TRUST : Promoting young talent into the first
team has always been important to United fans, who relish
the tradition started by Sir Matt Busby and famously
reinvigorated by Sir Alex Ferguson during his illustrious
tenure at the club. Van Gaal gave seven senior debuts to
Academy graduates during his first campaign at Old
Trafford and, brilliantly, the manager fielded another seven
former youth players (Johnstone, Blackett, McNair, Lingard,
Pereira, Wilson, Januzaj) in the XI that finished Saturday's
match in Santa Clara. Our history is in safe hands.
WELCOME BACK, CHICHA : It slipped under the radar a little,
but Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez re-joined the United
squad prior to the match at Levi’s Stadium. The Mexican
spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, having slipped
down the pecking order of strikers, but van Gaal is
optimistic the striker will impress this summer and make a
telling contribution in 2015/16. “He can prove himself again
and now Falcao and van Persie are gone his chances are
better now,” the boss said.
(Curled from www.manutd.com)
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