Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho scored in the first half to give Manchester United a 2-0 friendly victory and bragging rights over arch rivals Arsenal in New Jersey.
82,262 spectators watched the game, setting a stadium soccer record.
Aaron Ramsdale could have done better, but Fernandes beat him from 20 yards as he celebrated becoming United’s new captain. Sancho then increased the lead with a powerful strike into the top corner.
The winger scored after racing on to a Gabriel error while playing as a false nine in an outfield lineup that manager Erik ten Hag completely changed at halftime.
Amad Diallo, a forward for United, was injured just minutes after coming in during the half, so it wasn’t all good news.
Gabriel’s late header was deflected beyond as Arsenal had numerous chances to score but came up empty-handed.
Mikel Arteta, the manager of the Gunners, responded succinctly when asked what he had learned from the game.
“That I hate to lose, that we all hate to lose, I don’t like how I’m feeling right now.”
Towards the end of the game, a fight broke out between some spectators in the stand behind the United goal, but it was swiftly broken up.
Following the game’s conclusion, the two teams engaged in a penalty shootout. Both managers had determined that their players required practice playing in front of an audience.
After Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira skied his attempt over the bar, United won that game 5-3 as well.
Sancho scores a goal
The stadium announcer must have been given the incorrect information about United’s number 25, as he twice mispronounced his name as “Jadon Sanchez” before finally correcting himself.
But in some ways, that error highlighted Sancho’s own difficulties since joining United. The winger’s debut year at Old Trafford wasn’t great, and last season, after a strong preseason, he struggled once the crucial action got underway.
Sancho then had a complete break from the game when his hopes of going to the World Cup came to a crushing end with his omission from England’s September internationals.
The 23-year-old is one of those players United would probably sell, save for the fact they would get nothing like the £73m they paid Borussia Dortmund for him.
Sancho has talent, though. Of that there is no doubt. He also has lots of pace.
The Londoner showed both as he seized on a loose ball after Gabriel miskicked in the 37th minute and must have covered 40 yards at top speed before smashing his strike into the top corner.
Playing in a false nine role and with Anthony Martial again on the injured list, Sancho could save United some money if ongoing negotiations with Atalanta over Rasmus Hojlund continue to frustrate.
Arsenal fail to fire
The £200m recruitment drive Arsenal have been on this summer means Arteta has options that did not exist last season.
With the exception of striker Gabriel Jesus and currently injured full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, the Gunners’ starting line-up looked like the one with which they could start their Premier League campaign.
While the scoreline did not go in their favour, they would have been in front but for a superb double save from Tom Heaton to deny Gabriel Martinelli – and the defensive error for United’s second was one of those rare mistakes that cannot be predicted.
By the time he had made two lots of changes in the second half, Arteta had swapped almost two-thirds of his team, yet the quality remained.
Eddie Nketiah should have done better after being fed through a quickly-taken free-kick, while Kai Havertz headed Martin Odegaard’s cross over when well placed.
“Physically, it’s been really demanding,” Arteta said.
“With some players we wanted to expose them a little bit more than they have done because of the way we want to build the physical state.”
In theory, Arsenal are now preparing for a meeting with Barcelona in Los Angeles on Wednesday, although they will travel to the west coast on Sunday in the knowledge the Catalans had to call off their game against Juventus due to a virus sweeping through the camp.
BBC
