Premier League
Manchester United smashes five past Rosenborg
Manchester United earned the first victory of its pre-season campaign as it thumped Norwegian side Rosenborg 5-0 in Trondheim.… Show More
Manchester United earned the first victory of its pre-season campaign as it thumped Norwegian side Rosenborg 5-0 in Trondheim.
Youngsters Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams joined Joshua Zirkzee on the scoresheet as United bounced back from last week's 1-0 loss to Wrexham in emphatic fashion.
Michael Carrick named a relatively strong starting XI featuring Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Andrey Santos, Mason Mount, Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo and Zirkzee.
But the visitors had to wait until just beyond the half-hour mark before making the breakthrough, with 19-year-old winger Lacey cutting inside before curling a left-footed finish into the far corner.
The Red Devils were only one goal up at the interval, but their second goal finally arrived in the 56th minute when Zirkzee sat goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt down with a clever feint before walking the ball into an unguarded net.
Carrick rang the changes on the hour, withdrawing eight of his starters, but that upheaval did not stop his team from pulling further clear, with its academy graduates shining.
Devaney fired into the roof of the net after a scramble caused by an inswinging corner, then Amass turned home on the stretch to make it 4-0 with 72 minutes played.
The scoring was completed by William's tap-in after some clever link-up play on the right side of the area, with United's pre-season campaign now up and running ahead of its meeting with Atletico Madrid next week.
Bigger tests are still to come for the Red Devils, whose tour of Scandinavia concludes with games against Atletico and reigning European champion Paris Saint-Germain.
A clash with old rival Leeds United in Dublin and a trip to Wroclaw to face AC Milan will round out United's pre-season preparations, and the likes of Lacey, Williams, Devaney and Amass will have done their chances of being involved in the Premier League season and more no harm at all.
Carrick heaped praise on his young guns after the win.
"When you see them expressing themselves and being themselves and keep pushing themselves to be better, I think some of the play in the second half was really, really good, and I was delighted to see that from them," he said.
"They've all got potential in different ways, and you want them to fulfil it and keep pushing themselves, and they certainly did that."
The United boss said the key now for his squad is to stay patient, injury-free and keep building up back at Carrington, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha all set to return soon.
"I think we're in a good place," Carrick added. "There are four weeks to go until the start, and gradually getting some boys back from the World Cup as we progress.
"But I think a little bit of patience and time and trying to keep ahead, and as I say, keeping everyone fit.
"But moving forward is a really good direction to go in, and as it stands right now, I think we're in a pretty good place, so the boys will get better as we go."
