Digimagaz.com – Manchester United kicked off their pre-season campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over long-standing rivals Leeds United in Oslo. Mason Mount, Erik ten Hag’s first signing of the summer, showcased his talent in the no.7 shirt, spearheading attacks and coming close to scoring before being substituted at halftime, as the manager made wholesale changes for the second half at Ullevaal Stadion.

During the second half, two young substitutes, Noam Emeran and Joe Hugill, found the back of the net, displaying the attacking prowess they had developed while playing for the Under-21s in Premier League 2.

The absence of several senior players, who were still on international duty just a few weeks ago, provided an opportunity for Academy players such as Charlie Savage and Isak Hansen-Aarøen to impress Ten Hag. These young talents, along with Mount, were instrumental in setting the competitive tone of the match right from the start.

Aside from showcasing the potential of Mount and the Academy prospects like Kobbie Mainoo and Omari Forson, the match also allowed returning loan players, including Alvaro Fernandez, Amad, and Hannibal, to reintegrate with the team after successful loan spells last season.

Hannibal played a crucial role in the early chances for both teams, with his efforts being blocked by Leeds goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson. Mount, displaying his attacking prowess, came close to scoring on his unofficial debut but saw his shot sail over the crossbar. Amad also attempted a curled shot from the right, but it failed to find the target.

In the second half, Ten Hag made 11 planned substitutions, while Daniel Farke, the newly appointed Leeds manager, kept one of his starters, Codey Drameh, on the pitch. The extensive changes disrupted the flow of the game temporarily, but it was the young players in red who ultimately made the difference.

Noam Emeran broke the deadlock in the 67th minute with a clinical finish, assisted by Hansen-Aarøen. The Frenchman calmly swept the ball past Leeds’ substitute goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel. Emeran later turned provider, delivering a low cross from the right that was cleverly dummyed by Shola Shoretire, allowing Joe Hugill to tap the ball home from close range in the 81st minute.

Leeds had their moments, with Archie Gray’s powerful long-range effort narrowly missing the target and hitting the side netting. However, Matej Kovar, the Reds’ goalkeeper, made a diving save to ensure the shot went wide.

In injury time, Rhys Bennett came close to securing a third goal for Manchester United but saw his header hit the post. Nevertheless, with a convincing 2-0 victory, Erik ten Hag’s team can be pleased with their performance in this pre-season encounter.

Source : manutd.com

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