Match report
Summary
Ole Gunnar Solskjær will be pleased with a lot of what he saw from his side tonight. United dominated from start to finish and played with a decent tempo and impetus throughout. Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka looked at home on debut while youngsters Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood and James Garner all impressed.
The lack of penetration, especially in the first half, would have frustrated the United bench but the introductions of Pogba and Mata added some potency.
For their part Perth were organised and diligent defensively, making their more illustrious guests earn every opening. They showed little ambition going forward though save for the occasional isolated breakaway from Joel Chianese or Bruno Fornaroli.
The only injury concern from the night looks to be a possible hamstring injury to Luke Shaw.
Updated
Perth Glory 0-2 Manchester United
Far from a rollicking show-stopper but Manchester United begin their preseason with a win.
Updated
88' / Tonight's attendance is 50,206! Massive thanks to everyone for coming out to another spectacle at @OptusStadium
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) July 13, 2019
(0-2) #PERvMUN #OneGlory
88 min: Greenwood hits the post after jinking in from the right, shaping to go on his left, exploiting the half-yard of space then whipping an angled shot in on his right foot.
GOAL! Perth Glory 0-2 Manchester United (Garner, 84)
Pretty much the first thing Garner does is accept a soft turnover on the edge of Glory’s box and drill a low right-footed effort wide of the keeper’s despairing dive. It was a smart finish from the substitute but the way he read the play to pick Perth’s pocket was even better. Excellent stuff from Garner.
Updated
83 min: Australian TV is suggesting Pogba was due to be substituted - no word if it was pre-planned or injury related. However, when James Garner was introduced it was for Luke Shaw with the left-back heading straight down the tunnel, presumably for treatment. Questions no doubt for Solskjaer postmatch.
81 min: Nice spell for Glory and Kristian Popovic, pushing United onto the back foot briefly and forcing Pogba reluctantly into some defensive work.
79 min: Smalling climbs at the far post but can’t direct his header on target.
77 min: As we enter the closing stages United are still eager to maintain the tempo but Perth are starting to slow proceedings down with substitutions.
76 min: There’s a Popovic on the bench and there’s now two on the pitch with Tony’s sons Kristian and Gabriel entering the fray as substitutes.
74 min: Greenwood holds his head in his hands after his effort is blocked following a lovely passing move. Pogba cuts out the middleman shortly afterwards but his long range pile-driver is straight at Reddy.
72 min: Greenwood has plenty of promise and shows a glimpse of it darting in from the right and shaping to shoot on his left. He, Gomes and Chong have all given Solskjaer food for thought.
70 min: Rojo climbs strongly and meets a Mata corner firmly with his forehead but he can’t locate the Glory goal.
68 min: Best moment of the night for the hosts. Glory capitalise on a turnover down their right and whip a deep cross over but there’s nobody on the end of it despite Pereira and Wan-Bissaka colliding in the six-yard box.
66 min: It could be Perth tiring, it could be the composure of Pogba and Mata in the final third, but United have much more threat this second half. The latest blur of passes ends with Greenwood through on goal but he scuffs his opportunity.
🔄 GLORY DOUBLE SUB (63') 🔄
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) July 13, 2019
⬆️ ON: D'Agostino & Wilson
⬇️ OFF: Harold & Brimmer
(0-1) #PERvMUN #OneGlory
63 min: United have found some zip since that goal and Gomes shows his pace and power to fashion a shooting opportunity but his drive is well dealt with by Reddy.
GOAL! Perth Glory 0-1 Manchester United (Rashford, 60)
Relentless possession, passing and movement finally tells for United. Perth fail to clear their lines following one attack too many. The ball falls to Mata who feeds Pogba, the Frenchman impudently flicking the ball to Rashford to slap home first time with his left foot across the goal and into the bottom corner.
🎯 @MarcusRashford puts #MUFC 1-0 up in Perth!
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2019
Watch live coverage on #MUTV: https://t.co/H2826I8hl2 #MUTOUR 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/Sg3q4XWmEJ
Updated
58 min: Joel Pereira is called into action to claim a deep Kilkenny free-kick. The first moment of note from a United keeper all evening.
55 min: Nice interplay from Mata, Rashford and Gomes in the box but there’s no space and a corner was the inevitable outcome. Perth are proving obdurate opponents.
53 min: After Chianese’s burst in the first-half, Ivan Franjic doubles the amount of Perth forward runs in possession with a persistent run down the left. United snuff out any danger and rebuild from the back with McTominay dictating the tempo, picking up where Matic left off.
52 min: Rojo shoots from about 40-yards away and the ball misses the target by about the same distance.
49 min: Wan-Bissaka’s into the action immediately playing pretty much as a right winger, linking with Greenwood and Pogba. United are again dominating possession, camped on the edge of Glory’s box trying to prise an opening. Greenwood almost does that with some trickery but the resulting shot is the third of the night to hit the wrong side of the side netting.
47 min: Paul Pogba’s first action of note in savannah (I still can’t get my head around it) is to drag a snapshot wide from outside the box.
46 min: Second half underway and United immediately on the attack with Angel Gomes. He’s on the left of a front three with Rashford through the middle and Greenwood down the right.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær has named an entirely different XI at half-time. That means a debut for Wan-Bissaka, a good look at Gomes and Greenwood, and the small matter of Paul Pogba.
Utd: Pereira, Wan-Bissaka, Shaw, Smalling, Rojo, McTominay, Pogba, Mata, Gomes, Greenwood, Rashford.
Updated
Half-time: Perth Glory 0-0 Manchester United
Goalless at the break at Optus Stadium. The hosts have defended deep and manfully to good effect. The visitors have probed nimbly but without penetration. For United James started brightly before fading while Chong impressed later in the half. Perth fans will be delighted by how fit and hungry Fornaroli looks.
Updated
45 min: Sharp footwork from Martial but his attempted curler is deflected wide.
44 min: Credit must go to Perth for their defensive organisation and commitment to keeping United at bay. Solksjaer wouldn’t mind a little more ambition though to open up a few more spaces with the match unfolding mainly in one congested half of the field.
42 min: Chong again is busy, linking nicely with Lingard, but his drive is blocked before he reaches Reddy. After a slow start wide on the right Chong has grown into this game in a more central role.
39 min: Pereira again is almost found with a Scholes-type run behind Perth’s defence but he lacks the strength to hold off a couple of purple shirts. United’s forward line lacks presence and is ill-suited to unlocking opponents defending so deep.
Updated
37 min: United have shuffled things around a little, James drifting to the right, Lingard to the left, and Chong in the No.10 role. The latter catches the eye with a superb dribble through the heart of Glory’s defence but there’s no change from the referee when he goes down in the box. The most eye-catching moment of the half.
Updated
35 min: The outcome of that template is United opting to shoot from outside the box after running out of ideas. Matic is the latest to try his luck but his dragged drive is comfortable for Reddy diving to his left.
32 min: United continue to work hard, press without the ball and pass neatly with it, but there’s little penetration. The front three of James, Martial and Chong haven’t really taken the game by the scruff of the neck despite the ball making its way swiftly from back to front via Matic and Pereira. There’s an opening for an advanced fulcrum to dictate play.
28 min: Save! Top drawer stuff from the flying Liam Reddy, getting his fingertips to a rasping drive from Lingard struck from the edge of the box. Tuanzebe wins the header from the resulting corner but can’t direct it on target.
27 min: Perth do finally fashion an opening of sorts through Joel Chianese down the right but Jones snuffs out the danger and then United dismissively play out from the back and look to exploit the rare space but Martial can’t capitalise and they settle for a corner.
25 min: Another side netting effort from United that half the ground thinks is a goal. This time it’s Martial using quick feet in a crowded box but his stabbed effort is just wide.
Perth have settled now and appear to have figured out the right shape to stop United passing through them at will. They still haven’t established how to retain possession or build an attack yet though.
21 min: Pereira fluffs his lines after a superb floated ball over the top catches Perth’s deep defensive line off guard. United have been neat and tidy but look a little short of menace for the time being. Just as I typed that the big screen cut to Romelu Lukaku in one of the corporate boxes.
Updated
19 min: From the resulting free-kick Ashley Young ripples the side netting with a terrific effort just a few inches the wrong side of the post.
18 min: Not a lot to report from a Perth point of view but Fornaroli’s trademark strength with his back to goal has not diminished during his time on the sidelines. Nor has Kilkenny’s appetite for the contest, putting James on the turf with a clear foul then offering the referee some advice with a sharpened tongue and pointed finger.
16 min: United’s intent is not lacking. A well-timed forward press ends with Lingard diving in aggressively and winning the ball back.
13 min: United’s plan A is increasingly obvious: recycle possession until there’s an opportunity to free James down the inside-left channel. The former Swansea man has looked bright but has yet to deliver a telling final ball, his latest again intercepted before it can reach another savannah shirt.
11 min: First spell of possession for Glory but it leads to a cheap turnover in midfield and the chance for United to get in behind but they lack penetration down the right. This is already attack vs defence. A real test of United’s patience and guile in the final third.
Updated
9 min: Dalot, starting at right-back larrups a left-footed drive high and wide.
7 min: United look sharp, passing and moving smartly, probing around Perth’s penalty area, trying to get James on the ball as often as possible. The new signing is on the left of a front three with Chong on the right and Martial in the middle. Behind them Lingard has a free role with Pereira linking play and Matic holding.
That's KICK OFF at @OptusStadium for @ManUtd v @PerthGloryFC ⚽️#UnitedinPerth #MUFC #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/rq4gZJagyp
— Optus Stadium (@OptusStadium) July 13, 2019
5 min: James again finds space down the inside-left channel and he’s found smartly by a Young free-kick but again his cross is cut out before it finds a teammate.
4 min: Shot from range from Andreas Pereira but it’s straight at Reddy. All United in these early stages, moving the ball nicely in Perth’s half with Glory dropping deep in a low block (hi Graeme).
2 min: United on the front foot early and an early couple of touches for Daniel James down the left. His first cross is blocked, his second is a teasing low curler across the six-yard box but there’s no teammate to honour it.
Kick-off
Underway at Optus Stadium...
Updated
Shane Lowry and Ashley Young lead the sides out onto Optus Stadium to the strains of This is the One by The Stone Roses, United’s traditional walk-out music at Old Trafford.
In case it wasn’t clear, savannah (the colour of United’s new away strip) is a mucky creamy colour. Apparently it’s something to do with Manchester’s Northern Quarter, possibly the flaking paint on an inside wall of Affleck’s Palace?
Emerging from the tunnel at @OptusStadium!#PERvMUN #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/I6878GnO8x
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) July 13, 2019
Updated
Paul Pogba is not in the starting XI but that doesn’t mean he won’t be making tomorrow’s headlines.
The weather is a tad more Mancunian than the visitors might have expected for a trip to Australia. It’s chilly with an easterly breeze, but thankfully no rain.
Just a reminder that Romelu Lukaku is not in the matchday squad tonight, and we’re told it’s because of a minor injury.
Both sides are sporting new uniforms for tonight’s match. Glory’s purple home kit has been spruced up for the new season while United are modelling their latest away jersey, coloured - wait for it - savannah. Nope, me neither.
They’re here: the @premierleague giants, @ManUtd!#MUTOUR #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/3ThQY3RKPQ
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) July 13, 2019
Five things to look out for - Perth Glory:
- Bruno Fornaroli - For a couple of seasons the Uruguayan was the most dangerous player in the A-League. A strong squat centre-forward with a low centre of gravity and an eye for goal El Tuna (the prickly pear) was frozen out of Melbourne City last season by former United staffer Warren Joyce. Fornaroli has been cooling his jets for a number of months and will be eager to remind the world of his talents.
- Exiles - Glory’s squad contains a number of players with English football experience and in Neil Kilkenny a man who knows what it feels like to beat Man Utd from his time at Leeds. Shane Lowry was a United fan growing up while Jake Brimmer was on the books at Liverpool.
- Kids - Perth’s starting XI is full of senior bodies but the bench is an eye to the future. Tony Popovic has a reputation for being reluctant to blood younger players so it will be instructive who he trusts to appear tonight.
- Popa - Speaking of the coach it would be no surprise to see arguably the brightest managerial prospect in the Australian game handed a profile-raising appointment in the near future. A Socceroos coach in waiting Popovic has already attracted the attention of former club Crystal Palace and a good showing tonight would do his reputation no harm at all.
- Optus Stadium - Australia has an abundance of state of the art multi-purpose arenas and this 60,000 seat belter in Perth is one of them. Home of Western Australia’s Ashes Test, Australian Rules football and the recent A-League grand final, United will be delighted with the facility after suffering some uneven surfaces on previous overseas adventures.
Updated
Five things to look out for - Man Utd:
- New signings - Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James are not the galactico recruits United fans have become accustomed to but that may be no bad thing. The Glazer family’s failure to appoint an empowered director of football with long-term ownership of squad development has led to a succession of missteps since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. Wan-Bissaka and James point to Solksjaer putting the club’s longer-term interests beyond his own immediate ambitions.
- Pogba - United’s record signing may yet be the transfer saga of the summer but while he remains at the club, and among the tour party, he’ll be expected to put in a shift. Whether he does or not, and how he’s received by coaches and teammates along the way, will be closely scrutinised.
- Kids - Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood, James Garner and Angel Gomes have all been tipped for the top for some time. Their chances of regular game time increased with the dismissal of Jose Mourinho and matches like tonight’s offer the chance to catch Solksjaer’s eye.
- Solskjaer - Caretaker Ole was straight out of a Roy of the Rovers cartoon strip but once he was awarded the gig full-time the magic soon wore off. At the start of his first preseason at the helm it will be fascinating to chart his progress. Will he look to make any big statements from the outset? How will he handle Pogba and Lukaku? Are there any tactical tweaks to identify?
- Intent - This is the first of five preseason fixtures for United and arrives following a week of heavy training and a near 24-hour flight. Consequently they could be forgiven for taking things easy, but after finishing last season so disappointingly nobody will want to risk a rot setting in.
Perth Glory starting XI
Tony Popovic is not going to die wondering. His starting XI is as mature as you could expect for this stage of preseason featuring nine regulars from the recent A-League premiership campaign as well as new signings Jacob Tratt and, most notably, Bruno Fornaroli. The bench is packed with kids, and we’re sure to see them at some point during the night, possibly even the coach’s sons, Kristian and Gabriel.
Ready for the Red Devils! Our Starting XI is in to take on Manchester United at 7pm.#MUTOUR #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/uAvm7WACsZ
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) July 13, 2019
Updated
Manchester United starting XI
The headline news is no Lukaku, while Pogba starts on the bench. According to United Lukaku is carrying a knock and is expected to appear against Leeds on Wednesday.
There are starts for the returning Axel Tuanzebe, new signing Daniel James and promising youngster Tahith Chong.
📝 Time to bring you today's #MUFC team news...#MUTOUR 🇦🇺
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2019
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to a special preseason minute-by-minute to keep an eye on the action from the opening match of Manchester United’s preseason tour. Preparations for the new campaign begin against A-League outfit Perth Glory with kick-off at Optus Stadium around 7pm local time (9pm on Australia’s east coast or noon in the UK).
Not for the first time in recent years United are enduring a turbulent preseason. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s first transfer window in the hot seat has already seen fevered speculation over the future of record signing Paul Pogba, question marks over whether Romelu Lukaku will begin the season at Old Trafford, and renewed supporter discontent with the club’s ownership. All of this unrest is magnified by a trophy cabinet that went unfurnished last season while fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool went from strength to strength.
In better news a couple of new faces have arrived to brighten the place up. Aaron Wan-Bissaka didn’t come cheap but should provide the dynamic right-back United have lacked since Antonio Valencia decided he no longer fancied getting to the byline while Daniel James offers searing pace. Both are expected to feature tonight along with a smattering of the club’s most promising youngsters as Solskjær remodels his inheritance.
Perth Glory may be unfamiliar to United fans but they should not be underestimated. Glory finished the most recent A-League season on top of the ladder, but lost the grand final in a penalty shootout. Their domestic success was founded on the meticulous preparation of coach (and former Crystal Palace defender) Tony Popovic and an imposing spine marshalled by former Leeds United midfielder Neil Kilkenny.
There’s a while until kick-off so if you want to get in touch with any pre-match thoughts feel free to drop me an email or send a tweet to @JPHowcroft. You can try your luck during the 90 minutes as well but best to stick to Twitter once we’re underway.
