Manchester United left Gothenburg with plenty of encouragement after earning a 1-1 draw against European champions Paris Saint-Germain in a lively pre-season test.
As they did in their recent victory over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, United endured a nightmare opening. PSG struck after just 101 seconds, with Ibrahim Mbaye finishing off a sharp counter-attack that left Michael Carrick’s side badly exposed.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia almost doubled the advantage soon after, forcing Tom Heaton into action before the veteran goalkeeper later departed with a hamstring issue. From there, however, United raised the tempo and gradually took control, looking the more convincing side for long spells.
Still, Mason Mount’s injury scare, even if viewed as precautionary, added a note of concern on an afternoon that underlined several key themes: United’s midfield overhaul remains a live issue, the shortage of left-back cover is increasingly apparent, and the experiment of using Bryan Mbeumo through the middle may have real staying power. Daily Mail Sport examines the major talking points.
Manchester United impressed in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg
A MOUNT-ING PROBLEM
At the start of the summer, following a strong finish to the campaign on loan at Brighton, the central question surrounding Mount was whether he could become more than simply an alternative to Bruno Fernandes.
Mount was used in a deeper midfield role at Brighton, but the signals from Old Trafford still pointed towards United targeting three new midfield additions. Where that left the England international, who arrived from Chelsea for £60million in 2023, was far from clear.
Pre-season has complicated that picture in a positive way. Mount has made an impressive start in a deeper position alongside Andrey Santos, another former Chelsea midfielder who joined United this summer in a £50m deal. Their early partnership has caught the eye, and Mount’s form appears to have eased internal urgency over signing a third midfielder.
Mount is a very popular member of United’s squad; a leader for many and a player that so many in the building are willing on to do great things.
After the 5-0 win over Rosenborg in Trondheim earlier this summer, Mount was full of glee when he spoke about how well he feels.
‘I was ready and raring to get back and get training again and get back into the flow of it,’ he said.
‘As players that’s what you want. I feel strong and ready to go. I know we’ve got a few weeks more games left and a few more weeks to really work at stuff but I feel good.’
But here was the reminder of how fallible it can all be.
Reliability matters. Inside 20 minutes here, clutching his foot, Mount had to go off, withdrawn and was replaced by academy product Tyler Fletcher.
Mount jogged off unassisted, sought advice from three members of United’s medical team before heading down the tunnel. It looked precautionary ahead of two final pre-season games against Leeds United in Dublin and AC Milan in Wroclaw.
But it is also a warning that United cannot allow the next three weeks and a couple of days to pass between now and the transfer deadline without another midfielder signing walking through the door. That prospect has to now be inexplicable.
United’s recruitment in that area of the pitch has been good, too, this summer. Santos has been the star of pre-season and Youri Tielemans, who got 25 minutes on debut off the bench, could prove the steal of the summer at £35m.
Taking a big swing, the biggest of the lot most likely, should be a pressure Ineos and the bosses at United must relish, not be afraid of.
DORGU IS NO DEFENDER
Speaking of recruitment, let’s talk left backs. Patrick Dorgu isn’t one, if that wasn’t abundantly clear already.
Ironically, the Dane is consistently listed as a defender on any United squad list but Carrick has never played him there. Not once. Much like Darren Fletcher, who took interim charge between Carrick succeeding Ruben Amorim, Dorgu is seen as a winger.
In Gothenburg he again started on the left wing, occasionally drifting out to the right in a bid to confuse PSG’s makeshift backline – in what was a heavily rotated squad from the one we saw lift the Champions League title against Arsenal.
Dorgu is raw and that is both a blessing and a curse. His ceiling feels sky high but getting to the consistency required is going to take patience.
What won’t deliver that is shifting him to left back and evidently United’s coaching team agree, which leaves Luke Shaw and… exactly.
So, again, United simply have to deliver Carrick a left back between now and 11pm on September 1.
Luke Shaw appears to be United’s only orthodox and viable left back option for this season
Shaw was steady here, nothing extremely good nor extremely bad. Defensively sound is the best summation.
And yes, he started every Premier League game last season and deserves credit for that. But depth at left back matters and it’s an issue United haven’t been able to fix.
Top target is Lewis Hall, who Newcastle United have made plain they have zero appetite to sell this summer after two approaches from Old Trafford’s hierarchy.
There’s Harry Amass, an impressive youngster that has come through United’s academy in recent years, and, truthfully he should be an option. But he has been told his best chance of minutes will come elsewhere.
United played just 40 games in all competitions last season, their fewest in a single season since 1914-15, while others such as Chelsea (59 matches) and Tottenham Hotspur (52 matches) played considerably more.
Back into European and cup runs expected – no repeats of the debacle at Grimsby Town ideally – depth is going to be as vital as having the requisite quality. One injury to Shaw post transfer deadline and United are firmly on the back foot. The warning is staring them in the face.
A-MAD WORLD
Back to how United out-performed this makeshift PSG side – playing only their second pre-season game compared to United’s fourth – and hats off to Amad.
Significant questions were asked of the Ivorian to the point where sources at United were eager to privately stress that he was never at risk of being moved on and remains an integral part of the group.
After a promising 45 minutes in Stockholm against Atletico Madrid, this was another big step in the right direction by Amad.
It was his tenacity that stood out, the pressure he put on PSG’s defenders and that was the origin of United’s equalising goal when he closed down the ball, recovered possession and was decisive in playing in Mbeumo, who slotted away.
Amad can do a lot well that won’t show up on the stats sheet but he is under no illusion that goals and assists have to improve. Prior to this assist for Mbeumo, Amad had just one United assist to his name in this calendar year, simply nowhere near a player of his ability should be.
‘For me it’s been good,’ he said of pre-season after the PSG draw.
‘We need to keep building fitness because we have a big season ahead of us and we need to keep going. It’s a good game. We know how tough PSG are to beat and we draw, we now look to the next game.
‘We have two more games and we need to keep building fitness, that’s the most important thing. We have a big season coming and I hope we can win trophies this season.’
If United are to hit the heights Amad wants, he will need to be at his very best. There were flashes here to suggest the 24-year-old absolutely has the bit between his teeth.
Amad Diallo showcased another really promising outing as he faces a crucial campaign
HIGH RISK, HIGH REWARD
One of the most encouraging signs across United’s pre-season is actually the bravery out of possession, rather than in it.
PSG, no matter how many players were rotated, are so well drilled and have so many great players on the periphery that avoiding defeat against them is no mean feat.
So to see Carrick setting his side up with such an aggressive high press, at times showing six players in the final third to press, will inject plenty of belief into supporters.
Other times we saw a zonal press in a 4-4-2 with Shea Lacey, making a third straight start, again as a No10, right up alongside Mbeumo.
Pre-season and competitive Premier League action are naturally different – but the signs are there. Be brave, and you’ll get success. Now it’s over to United’s hierarchy to show that same aggression in the transfer market.
