Manchester United bounced back from an opening pre-season defeat by Wrexham in Helsinki last weekend by thumping Rosenborg 5-0 in the Lerkendal Stadion in Trondheim.
Head coach Michael Carrick again started with a strong line-up against a side who are 13 games into the Norwegian League season, and the majority of his starting XI stayed on the pitch for an hour as United took a two-goal lead through Shea Lacey and an audacious effort from Joshua Zirkzee.
Carrick then sent on his youngsters who seized the opportunity to impress for the second game in a row and scored three more through Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams.
Perhaps the only disappointment for the United fans in Norway was that teenage star JJ Gabriel didn’t get on the pitch after he was included in the first-team squad for the first time.
Still, there is plenty of excitement to be taken from Friday evening’s match.
The Daily Mail Sport looks at what we learned from United’s second pre-season game as Carrick and his players head home from Trondheim ahead of the next friendly against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm a week on Saturday.
Joshua Zirkzee showed why he could still have a Manchester United future with a fine goal
It came as Michael Carrick’s side thumped Rosenborg 5-0 in their second pre-season friendly
Zirkzee’s timely reminder
Zirkzee has faced his fair share of criticism since moving to Old Trafford two years ago. The Dutchman has struggled to live up to expectations, and it has never been clear just where he fitted in under Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick.
With United keen to bring in support for striker Benjamin Sesko this summer, they would listen to offers for Zirkzee, but the former Bologna player showed what he can do in Trondheim with a standout display in the win over Rosenborg.
Having set up Bryan Mbeumo for an early chance, he got the assist on Lacey’s opening goal just after the half hour mark. But Zirkzee saved the best for himself in the 56th minute after he started a move from halfway with a pass out to Amass on the left.
The young full-back played the ball back to him, and Zirkzee sold one dummy to bamboozle the Norwegians’ defence and another to leave goalkeeper Rasmus Sandberg on his backside before scoring in an empty net.
For all his critics, Zirkzee possesses the touch and trickery that many players don’t. He just needs to produce an end product on a more consistent basis against the better teams. Maybe he could have a future at Old Trafford yet.
Show-stopper Shea
The talk beforehand had been about the prospect of JJ Gabriel’s first-team debut, but Lacey showed once again what an exciting young prospect he is with an excellent performance in Norway.
The 19-year-old from Liverpool made an immediate impact for the senior side when he got a chance off the bench at Aston Villa in December and rattled the bar as United went in search of an equaliser, but saw his development cruelly cut short when he was handed another opportunity by caretaker boss Darren Fletcher in the FA Cup defeat by Brighton in January when he was sent off for two bookable offences.
However, Lacey re-appeared on the final day, against Brighton again, and he showed his determination to kick on this season after being selected in the senior side that stayed largely unchanged for an hour in Trondheim.
Shea Lacey caused Rosenborg all sorts of problems starting in the No10 role on Friday
Operating primarily in the No10 role behind Zirkzee, Lacey caused Rosenborg all sorts of problems by floating into the pockets and supporting Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu on the flanks.
Moments after playing a part in the move that ended with Dorgu firing just wide of the far post, he put United ahead with a coolly-taken goal. It began on the edge of United’s box with Ayden Heaven who fed Zirkzee, and his pass set Lacey en route to goal.
The youngster was being carefully marshalled by Tomas Nemcik, but cut inside the Rosenborg centre-back and beat goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt by guiding the ball inside the far post.
Kids shine again
United’s youngsters followed up a promising performance in Helsinki with an even better display in Trondheim as right back Jaydan Kamason emerged as the pick of the bunch with two assists.
After Devaney had scored from close-range at a corner, Kamason made an overlap on the right before finding Amass who stretched out a leg to score at the back post in the 67th minute. He then tricked his way to the byline to thread another cross to the feet of Williams who tapped in six minutes from the end.
Rosenborg may have made nine changes at half-time and more as the second half progressed in preparation for their next game against Fredrikstad on Monday, but Carrick was delighted with the way United’s kids performed.
‘The younger players came on in the second half, and I thought they were fantastic,’ said the United boss. ‘They played as a team really well and deserved what they got.
‘When you see them expressing themselves and pushing themselves to be better, I was delighted to see that from them. They’ve all got potential in different ways, and you want them to fulfil it and they certainly did that. Some of the goals were fantastic goals, and it was just as pleasing to keep the clean sheet.’
Jaydan Kamason (right) was the pick of the young players that shone as he picked up two assists from right back
Stars are fighting fit
The next game against Atletico Madrid will be a step up for United, and Carrick built his players’ fitness by giving most of them an hour in Trondheim after playing 45 minutes against Wrexham.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw went off at the interval, and eight more of the starting XI followed after 60 minutes. Goalkeeper Radek Vitek – one of two changes from Helsinki along with Shea Lacey – stayed on for 70 minutes and was hardly tested aside from one effort that clipped the bar before he was replaced by Dermot Mee.
‘It was a good day,’ said Carrick afterwards. ‘A clean sheet and we scored goals. By the looks of it, everyone coming through injury free is what you want at this stage. I think keeping players fit and progressing through pre-season is as important as anything.
‘Some players need more minutes than others as they go. You’re managing some players a little bit more than others. It’s never going to be perfect with two weeks in.
‘I think we’re in a good place. Four weeks to go until the start, gradually getting some boys back from the World Cup as we progress. Moving forward, it’s a really good direction to go in.’
