Time for some cautious optimism

Over three pre-season games, United have gone from bad to much better

FIVE ASIDES
Premier League Summer Series, Chicago
United 4, Bournemouth 1

On a sodden night at Soldier Field, Ruben Amorim’s United may have turned a corner. Against Leeds, they had been just as bad as last season – reliably toothless up front, easily over-run in midfield. Against West Ham, they were better, more coherent, but still shaky at times: what should have been a cruise to 3-1 nearly turned into a 2-2. Against Bournemouth, they produced a proper performance. Pre-season games tend to be won by the fitter team, not necessarily the better one, but United secured a resounding result – a 4-1 victory over a club who had made a habit of humbling or frustrating them.

And they did it with no new recruits in the starting XI. Matheus Cunha would have played had he not pulled out with ‘fatigue’ – you can imagine how Amorim might have reacted if that had been one of the players he has taken against – and Bryan Mbeumo was not going to be considered till the Everton game because pre-season had started a week later at Brentford than at Carrington. So, on paper, this was the same old United, with a rickety engine room in Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes (who, as a pair, had just been rated ‘too slow’ by Amorim), a stuttering striker in Rasmus Højlund, and an embarrassment of full-backs – two at wing-back (Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu), plus another in the back three (Luke Shaw).

In practice, though, they clicked. Shaw was sharp, and so was Mason Mount. From the kick-off United were switched on and joined up. Dorgu, who had spent six months doing a lot of running with little end product, pulled off a rare assist, for Højlund’s flicked header, and followed it with an even rarer goal, his first for United. He was indebted to Mount, who took a quick free kick and sent an artful chip over Bournemouth’s back line, but Dorgu himself did well too, holding off the last defender, keeping his balance and putting some power into his low shot. Last season he became an instant automatic pick without making United any stronger. That was understandable, as he was only 20 and having to get used to a new country, a big club and a top league. But now he has to offer more and with this display, his best in a United shirt, he is on the right track.

United, so often empty-handed at half-time against teams like this, strolled off the field 2-0 up. And when they returned for another 25 minutes with the same line-up, they didn’t look back, adding a typically precise goal from Amad. Then, just after the wholesale changes, there was a bonus concocted by two teenagers – a crisp finish from young Ethan Williams, supplied by Diego Leon, even though he fell over in the process. There were still some danger signs, as Antoine Semenyo had a goal narrowly disallowed, David Brooks burst through the back three, Bournemouth got one back and Tom Heaton (who may well be United’s best bet in goal right now, aged 39) had to make some good saves. Overall, according to Sky, United were only just ahead on shots (13-11) and clear-cut chances (3-2), but they were more clinical, getting six of those shots on target to Bournemouth’s three. That, too, is progress.

Any optimism has to be of the cautious variety. United still haven’t filled their most gaping hole, at centre-forward, and seem to be pinning their hopes, for the second time this summer, on someone the same age as Højlund (Benjamin Sesko is 22, just like United’s first choice, Liam Delap, who opted to join Chelsea). They still haven’t found a new keeper or midfield anchor, so the spine remains the same. Cunha and Mbeumo are exciting, but last season’s top four, who were already streets ahead, have been on bigger spending sprees. And when the real Premier League resumes, United have to face all four in their first eight games.

Tim de Lisle is the editor of United Writing and a sportswriter for The Guardian. He’s been supporting United since their new signing was Ian Storey-Moore.