Manchester United took the lead twice against Everton but their Premier League Summer Series game eventually finished 2-2 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday.
The result meant the Red Devils clinched the second edition of the competition, and there were encouraging signs, especially in the first half.
Some of the link-up between Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes was delightful, with Amad winning the penalty for the first goal.
It was duly dispatched by the skipper, while Mason Mount got the second in the second half.
Mbeumo was impressive on his debut
Till the time a striker can be recruited, playing the Cameroonian up top could be a ploy worth using for Ruben Amorim. The way the ex-Brentford forward dropped deep to link play was something fans have hardly seen from Rasmus Hojlund.
Mbeumo was sharp with his movement as well, constantly picking up pockets of space while he always looked to drive forward with the ball.
As indicated recently by Patrick Dorgu, it is clear to see that the head coach is laying emphasis on improving the team’s attack, given the dismal performances last season.
But the usual concerns remain, and they reared their ugly head as the Toffees equalised twice. And one player who was at the heart of almost everything the team got wrong on the night was Manuel Ugarte.
The Uruguayan was dispossessed for the second, much like against Bournemouth, and his weak passing and poor control meant the Everton players hounded him whenever he was in possession.
Ugarte had a shocker
As already relayed by The Peoples Person, Amorim needs help in midfield with Casemiro not having the legs anymore to play week-in and week-out while both Kobbie Mainoo and Fernandes are much better in forward areas.
Another issue is the goalkeeper with Altay Bayindir given the nod for the game after Tom Heaton’s impressive performance in the last game.
The Turk was slow off his line multiple times, while his shot-stopping was hardly anything to shout about. With Andre Onana injured, it is clear that the Red Devils could do with a goalie.
The team’s spine still needs reinforcements, and hopefully, INEOS can bring in a striker, midfielder and shot-stopper before the window slams shut.
United’s last game of pre-season is against Fiorentina next Saturday.
Feature image AJ Reynolds via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
