Manchester United v ASEAN All Stars LIVE: Friendly team news and latest updates from Malaysia – UK Times

Here are the unfortunate XI of Manchester United players who have to go again three days after concluding a wretched Premier League campaign. Andre Onana starts having been left out of the win over Aston Villa, while Ruben Amorim appears to have picked four central midfielders.

Manchester United XI: Onana; Munro, Maguire, Heaven; Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Moorhouse, Mainoo; Hojlund.

The 30-year-old midfielder was a standout performer in what was otherwise Manchester United’s worst league season since 1973-74.

The season was further soured by last week’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final.

Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal are reportedly interested in signing the Portugal international, whose current head coach has stressed the skipper’s vital role at Old Trafford.

“Trying to impress as much as possible in training, turn the manager’s head, become familiar with all the players, try build relationships on the pitch.

“Hopefully make a couple of minutes and make my unofficial debut.”

“my aim is to see the fans, see how big United is on a global scale and take it all in, take the experiences day by day.”

Jaydan Kamason adds: “My aim is to play, there are a lot of players that want to play, a good amount of minutes, a good performance will put me in good stead. In the future, it’ll maybe put me on the pre-season tour.”

“Hopefully playing in the games, experiencing the fans in the stadiums, we’re playing in two great stadiums, I’m sure they’ll be full of fans, it’ll be great to walk out onto the pitch.”

It prompts a host of questions. When? How? Why? Really? And if none appear to have an easy answer, there is also a question of how Amorim would define “the good days”. Some would say United have not experienced them since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Yet compared to their terrible 2024-25 – to borrow another adjective Amorim used – Erik ten Hag’s 2022-23 campaign, which brought a third-placed finish and a trophy, feels good. Even if it did not prove, as it then looked, a platform for further progress. Now, coming 15th means a 14th-place finish could qualify as improvement, if not good days.

There is a case for arguing that United were the worst team to stay up. They took 27 points from 27 games under Amorim, 10 of them against the relegated trio. In all competitions this season, they lost four times to the team that finished 17th, Tottenham. Under Amorim, they were beaten by those who finished 16th, 14th, 12th, 11th (in the FA Cup), 10th, ninth, eighth and seventh; the exceptions were Everton, in 13th, and United were desperately lucky to draw 2-2 at Goodison Park.

Matheus Cunha will have a medical with Manchester United after they triggered his £62.5m release clause at Wolves.

The Brazilian is set to become the third and biggest buy of Ruben Amorim’s time at Old Trafford as the Portuguese has targeted him to bring firepower to a goal-shy United team.

Wolves agreed a payment structure with United, which is believed to involve paying the transfer fee over two years, and have given Cunha permission to have a medical at Old Trafford.

Lisandro Martinez remains injured and Alejandro Garnacho, while on the tour, could be omitted with his future seemingly elsewhere after missing out on a start in the Europa League final.

Jonny Evans is included and will play in a farewell appearance on the tour. Andre Onana and Luke Shaw are in the squad too, after resting against Aston Villa.

Leny Yoro is out with a physical issue. Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof will leave the club on free transfers and are not involved. While Noussair Mazraoui is out with an injury after coming off against Villa.

Predicted Manchester United XI: Bayindir; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven; Amad, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Mount; Hojlund