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- Manchester United suffered a 1-0 defeat in their opening pre-season fixture
- Erik ten Hag was without a several players due to international commitments
Manchester United began their preparations for the 2024-25 Premier League season with a pre-season friendly in Trondheim on Monday.
But hopes of a positive start were dashed with Noah Emmanuel Jean Holm’s stoppage-time winner for Rosenborg at the Lerkendal Stadion.
Erik ten Hag was without several of his first team squad due to players’ participation in the European Championship and Copa America.
He was still able to call upon the likes of Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Casemiro for the clash but that was not enough to escape defeat against Alfred Johansson’s side.
Mail Sport’s CHRIS WHEELER takes a look at what we learned from the Red Devils’ first outing of the new campaign.
Vitek the star of the show
United confirmed the appointment of new goalkeeper coach Jelle ten Rouwelaar shortly before kick-off, and the Dutchman would certainly have been impressed with the performance of Radek Vitek.
The 6ft 6in Czech keeper, who played on pre-season tour last summer before joining Accrington Stanley on loan, made a string of saves to frustrate Rosenborg before he was eventually beaten at the death.
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Vitek produced a fine double save in the 34th minute to keep out an effort from Marius Broholm and picked himself up to prevent Will Fish putting into his own goal.
He bettered that with a brilliant close-range block to deny Sverre Nypan before saving again from Broholm who also hit the post and bar before half-time. Ole Saeter did have the ball in the net early on but it was ruled out for offside.
Vitek was the only United player to stay on for the second half, and he made another excellent save in the 64th minute to touch Tobias Borkeeiet’s shot against the post before making a late block from Emil Frederiksen.
His performance deserved a clean sheet, but it wasn’t to be and Noah Holm scored with just about the last kick of the game in the 93rd minute, giving Vitek no chance from close range.
Mount’s misery goes on
As if it wasn’t bad enough having to watch his old England teammates play in the final of Euro 2024 and then face a meaningless friendly in Trondheim 21 hours later, Mason Mount once again struggled to make an impact for Manchester United.
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Mount was largely anonymous during a 45-minute run-out at the Lerkendal Stadion before making way when Erik ten Hag made wholesale changes at half-time and changed all 10 outfield players.
He was fortunate not to score an own-goal with a header from an early Rosenborg corner, when Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared at the back post, and even luckier to avoid a booking for a lunge at Marius Broholm when frustration got the better of him in added time at the end of the first half.
Mount made his United debut in Norway when Ten Hag’s side faced Leeds in Oslo a year ago, following a £60million move from Chelsea.
It was the prelude to a difficult season for the midfielder, and Mount can only hope his second year at Old Trafford goes a little better.
Rosenborg get rough
Erik ten Hag wanted a competitive game for United’s first pre-season outing, but the manager got more than he bargained for at times against the Norwegian opponents.
Rosenborg are struggling in 11th place in the Eliteserien after winning just two of their last 10 games, and clearly relished the opportunity to take a few big scalps.
Tomas Nemcik was lucky not to be sent off for a lunge at Casemiro in the 18th minute when he sank his studs into the top of the Brazilian’s right shin. Casemiro needed treatment and Nemcik got away with a booking.
Hannibal Mejbri got an early whack from Rosenborg captain Ole Selnaes and was then clattered before half-time by Nemcik who was really pushing his luck. Broholm was also booked for pulling back Marcus Rashford.
Ruud wakening for Rashford
Ruud van Nistelrooy has returned to Old Trafford as an assistant manager but it’s obvious that the former United striker, who scored 150 goals in 219 games for the club, will be of particular help to the forwards.
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Van Nistelrooy will fill the void left by forwards coach Benni McCarthy, and one of his biggest challenges will be to get the best out of Marcus Rashford who struggled last season as his goal output dropped from 30 in Ten Hag’s first campaign to eight in his second.
Van Nistelrooy grabbed Rashford for some last-minute advice as the players warmed up at the Lerkendal Stadion, and there will be plenty more to follow.
Rashford looked lively in some moments, although his touch let him down early on when he couldn’t control Casemiro’s through ball and the chance was gone. These are very early days, of course, and it’s to be hoped that Van Nistelrooy can help Rashford get back to his best.
Kobbie’s a shining example
It might be the opening game of pre-season in mid-July, but United will be hoping that at least one of these young players can follow in Kobbie Mainoo’s footsteps and make an impression on the senior team this season. Aside from Vitek, Ethan Wheatley, Toby Collyer and Ethan Ennis all caught the eye.
Mainoo started when United travelled to Norway to play their opening pre-season game against Leeds in Oslo a year ago, and the teenager hardly looked back. An injury against Real Madrid in Houston on tour disrupted his progress, but only temporarily.
Mainoo became a regular for United and then England, finishing the season by scoring in the FA Cup final and playing in the final of Euro 2024.
Speaking before this game, Erik ten Hag revealed that he had challenged the young players to use Mainoo as an example.
‘In my team talk yesterday I gave them the Copa America final involving (Alejandro) Garnacho, and the Euros final Kobbie Mainoo,’ said Ten Hag. ‘Last season in the same game (Utd v Leeds in Oslo) Kobbie Mainoo started that match so for them it’s possible.’