Manchester United wrapped up their unbeaten pre-season with an entertaining 1-1 draw against Fiorentina at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Ahead of kick-off, United presented summer signings Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon to fans, with perhaps an equally rapturous reception reserved for David de Gea, who returned to the Theatre of Dreams for the first time since his departure two summers ago.
Much of the feel-good energy was soon sucked out of the ground as the visitors took an early lead, with Simon Sohm - one of several unmarked players in United’s box - slotting home a cool finish past Altay Bayindir from a corner in the eighth minute.
The Red Devils went searching for an equaliser and soon found one when Bruno Fernandes’s corner was bundled in by Fiorentina defender Robin Gosens under pressure from Leny Yoro.
The French centre-back, along with backline partners Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven, tested De Gea - now in Fiorentina colours - on several occasions, a few of them from some promising deliveries by Mbeumo.
Yet neither side could find a winner in the second half, despite Sohm striking the bar and a few late efforts by Cunha.
The summer signing from Wolves was shunted up front, after a quiet shift at No10, when the tireless Mason Mount - a make-shift centre forward in Rasmus Hojlund’s absence - was withdrawn towards the end of the match.
United can technically claim a win from their afternoon outing, having triumphed 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to decide the Snapdragon Cup, with substitute Kobbie Mainoo netting the deciding spot-kick past De Gea’s late replacement Tommaso Martinelli.
The Red Devils faithful were able to give their former No1 another ovation upon his substitution, bidding the Spaniard a proper goodbye, and will go into their Premier League opener against Arsenal next weekend buoyed by a first unbeaten pre-season since 2019.
