Hong Kong 1 Manchester United 3
Manchester United’s season of turmoil is finally over. They finished in their lowest Premier League position and their final match was in the pouring rain of Hong Kong where they embarrassingly conceded before half-time.
“We understand that the players are tired of travelling, all the commercial things to get together with our fans,” said manager Ruben Amorim of the tour, which reached farcical levels at times and included a 1-0 defeat by little-known ASEAN All-Stars.
It emerged the club’s TV station did not send commentators to the Far East to cover games, instead taking a feed of footage and commentating from the UK. This became apparent when pictures briefly went down before half-time during the 3-1 friendly win over Hong Kong on Friday.
The tour was another episode in the most farcical season in United’s Premier League history. Telegraph Sport looks at the moments that defined a mad campaign…
‘We’re not ready’
Despite spending £180million on summer signings, Erik ten Hag admitted his squad were not ready for the campaign on the eve of the season starting. And then the Dutchman, who kept his job after winning the FA Cup, summed up where his squad were after defeat to Liverpool in September: “It is not like I am Harry Potter. You have to acknowledge that.”
Ten Hag flinches during defeat by Liverpool
Erik ten Hag said he was no wizard after September’s 3-0 home defeat by Liverpool - EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/ PETER POWELL
Sacking Ten Hag after contract extension
United announced a contract extension for Ten Hag, committing him to the club until 2026, despite clearly speaking to other candidates in the summer. “In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision,” said the Dutchman at the time. They also backed him in the summer transfer market with over £100 million spent – with mixed results – but decided to part ways three months into the season after a run of dismal results.
Fergie axed
It was announced in October that Sir Alex Ferguson, who built the club into the giant it still is, would leave his role as United ambassador at the end of the season. He had been paid a multi-million pound sum since his retirement as manager in 2013, but was part of the money-saving drive under co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Eric Cantona called the decision “scandalous”.
Ratcliffe and Ferguson at the Europa League final
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has axed his fellow knight, Sir Alex Ferguson, from the Old Trafford payroll - Getty Images/Jean Catuffe
Amorim delay
Ruben Amorim would have preferred to join at the start the campaign to give him a full pre-season to work with his new squad – but he was persuaded to join mid-season from Sporting Lisbon. Even then, there was a delay to him starting work on the training pitches as his work visa had not been rubber-stamped. He was at Carrington, which has been in the process of refurbishment, but could not step on to the pitches to start proper work.
Disastrous results
Amorim jokingly said he expected to be compared with Sir Alex if his Sporting Lisbon team defeated Manchester City in the Champions League. They duly thumped them 4-1 but the comparisons with United’s greatest manager stop there. He started with a draw with lowly Ipswich and there were defeats by Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle over Christmas when they scored no goals and conceded seven. From January, they picked up just two league wins against teams who were not relegated and ended the season in 15th – their worst-ever Premier League campaign.
Dan Ashworth sacked
United had fought hard to land Ashworth to become the club’s sporting director. He was on gardening leave at Newcastle for five months when it was clear there was interest in him but he lasted only five months at Old Trafford, with the debacle costing the club £4.1million.
Jason Wilcox and Dan Ashworth
Here today, gone tomorrow: after an expensive courtship Manchester United jettisoned Dan Ashworth, right, after merely five months - Getty Images/Eddie Keogh
Players clash with fans
United fans jeered Joshua Zirkzee after a dismal performance against Newcastle at OId Trafford and he left the pitch looking clearly emotional. There was also a clash between Alejandro Garnacho and a fan after the Europa League game against Greek side PAOK. Amad Diallo gave a middle-finger salute to a supporter during the post-season tour after his mother was insulted.
Protests
It was on December 1 during fan protests at Old Trafford against ticket prices that it became strikingly clear the hatred of the fans was being aimed at Ratcliffe. For so long it was only the Glazer family who were in the line of fire. Now fans were making their feelings clear against the co-owner who bought into the club with an investment of more than £1 billion.
Ratcliffe protest banners saying 'stop exploiting loyalty'
Fans turn their ire on Ratcliffe - Getty Images/Alex Livesey
Pride warm-up tops
United were embroiled in a bizarre row over Pride-themed warm-up tops after players scrapped plans to wear them out of respect for Noussair Mazraoui’s religious beliefs. They were poised to wear an Adidas jacket in support of the LGBTQ+ community against Everton, only to ditch the plan in the hours before kick-off after defender Mazraoui refused to back the initiative on the grounds of his Islamic faith.
Team leaks
The manager’s team selection is the weapon he likes to keep secret, sometimes not telling his players until the day of the game. But Amorim had a problem that his team line-ups would be leaked on social media, leading to a probe into where the information was coming from. “I know that story but it is impossible to fix nowadays. You have a lot of people in the club. Players talk with agents and friends,” he said.
Worst team in history (and a damaged TV screen)
Amorim was brutally honest with his assessment of United’s team. “We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” he said after defeat by Brighton in January, a statement he has since said he regrets. Other admissions from the Portuguese coach included admitting surviving relegation in the Premier League was the target during the Christmas period, then saying he could be sacked for his results later in the campaign. After that defeat by Brighton, Amorim damaged a television screen as he vented his anger in the dressing room.
Team-mate bust-ups on the pitch
Rasmus Hojlund was involved in an extraordinary bust-up with Amad after the win over Viktoria Plzen. They confronted each other on the pitch after the final whistle, the pair upset with each other during the match for not passing to each other. “For me it is perfect,” said Amorim. “We need to feel something at this moment. If we need to fight each other it is like a family.”
Amad approached Hojlund after final whistle
Amad approached Hojlund after final whistle but was brushed off
Job losses
It is anticipated that the sports science, medical and scouting departments will be among the areas that could be affected, with up to 200 jobs set to go. In the first round, around 250 people left the club to reduce its number of employees from 1,100. Telegraph Sport’s James Ducker wrote a stunning article outlining the cost-saving measures at United that included the service team counting the number of cartons for screws.
Canteen closes
Ratcliffe closed the staff canteen, so there were no more free hot lunches and staff were offered a free piece of fruit instead. Around this time, chief executive Omar Berrada launched an investigation into Old Trafford leaks and warned staff via email that revealing club information will be considered “gross misconduct” which could get them sacked.
Circus Tent Stadium
Ratcliffe spoke to Telegraph Sport and revealed the club could have been “bust by Christmas” without his cost-cutting. He also swiftly announced plans to build the biggest stadium in the UK at the cost of £2 billion. At the announcement it was pointed out that the vast “umbrella” that covered the 100,000-seater construction – which he hopes could be finished in five years – looked like a circus tent.
Disproportionate cuts
Ratcliffe looked genuinely surprised when interviewed by Gary Neville and the ex-United captain came up with a simple way of raising the £40,000 taken away from the fund for former players. “Well nobody suggested that because I would have supported that,” Ratcliffe said. Ratcliffe has been accused of pricing out OAP fans with ticket pricing policy.
Rejects shine
Not only have United slumped, the players who left have done well. Marcus Rashford helped Aston Villa qualify for Europe, Scott McTominay won Serie A with Napoli. Antony and Jadon Sancho reached a European final, while Mason Greenwood increased his market value at Marseille. Tyrell Malacia, who was sent out on loan, also won a domestic title with PSV. Now Bruno Fernandes is considering his future at the club amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
Tour of purgatory
With United needing money, they embarked on a post-season tour that seemed to please only the club accountants and sponsors in the Far East. Garnacho gave a one-fingered salute to fans, Amad’s mother was insulted and there was a defeat by invitational team ASEAN All-Stars which ended with the team being booed off.
02:58 PM BST
Full time: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 3
And that’s that. The tour is over. Manchester United’s youngsters will leave in good cheer and Chido Obi, as glimpsed during the season, is a confident young man with plenty to be confident about.
02:54 PM BST
GOAL!
Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 3 (Heaven) Amad shimmies, shakes, feints and crosses and Heaven buries the back post header. The keeper should have saved it. Two ex Arsenal players with the United goals.
02:52 PM BST
90+2 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 2
Manchester United are sweeping the ball around, maintaining possession until Mainoo wastes the advantage given them by the ref after a foul 30 yards out by wafting a cross down the sub keeper Ng’s throat.
02:50 PM BST
89 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 2
Sharp save from Bayandir when Benavides flies down the left and whacks over a cross. Pereira edges ahead of Ugarte and heads down. the ball skids up off the wet grass and Bayandir raises his hands to block from a range of about five yards. Good, reflex save.
02:47 PM BST
87 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 2
First booking for Lok To Jeremy Tsing for planting his studs over the ball and on top of Dorgu’s foot. Amad takes the free-kick from the left and, maybe a bit giddy, goes for goal, sending it sailing wide.
02:45 PM BST
84 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 2
Mount and Obi have played well this half. Mount looks like a proper No 10, unlike Garnacho, and Obi a proper No 9. He will want a more experienced centre-forward but those two are round pegs for round holes.
02:40 PM BST
GOAL!
Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 2 (Obi) Mount, who has played very well, whips over a cross with his right from the left of the D and Obi flicks it in. Right place, right time, right touch again.
02:40 PM BST
79 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Moorhouse drives down the left, seems to overrun the ball and is awarded a corner to his bafflement (and delight).
02:37 PM BST
77 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Mount goes down in the box and breaks into a broad smile when the referee waves play on. Not sure it was though the MUTV commentary team believe it was a stone-bonker.
02:35 PM BST
75 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Mainoo misses when he tries to go over the keeper having dropped his shoulder and dipped to his right to beat Yu Wai Lim. He was one one one with the keeper and could have arrowed it either side but tried to go over him when he was too close to get it to come back down and under the bar with that trajectory.
02:32 PM BST
73 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Moorhouse and Thwaites replace Collyer and Armer.
02:30 PM BST
70 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
More drinks. Vimto for the Mancs.
02:29 PM BST
68 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Bayandir saves Lau Ka Kiu’s shot from eight yards after Heaven missed a cross sent in from the right and, though Munro stops his man at the back post the ball breaks back to the forward who should have scored... or squared it to Pereira.
02:26 PM BST
66 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Tan Chun Lok shoves Ugarte over and concedes a free-kick out by the left corner flag. Mount fizzes over a fine cross, fast, inswinging and dipping and Heaven flicks it on at the near post. All it needed from that point was a tap-in but too many forwards were on their heels.
02:24 PM BST
64 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Ugarte sprays a pass intended to free Mount up the left wing out for a throw-in.
02:22 PM BST
62 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Munro is penalised for a high boot after a raft of Hong Kong substitutions. On now are Gerbig, Helio, Benavides, Ichikawa, Kiu, Pereira, Awal, Lok, Lim, Ng Wai Him and Sun Ming Him.
02:20 PM BST
60 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Chido Obi steers a header wide from 15 yards. In 15 minutes he has made better runs and taken up better positions than Hojlund did in 45. It’s as if all his instincts are a striker’s whereas it doesn’t seem to come naturally to the young Dane.
02:18 PM BST
58 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
All Manchester United this half. They has 72 per cent possession in the first half and it must be almost 90 so far in this one.
Chido Obi celebrates, tongue out
Chido Obi levels for Manchester United - Manchester United via Getty Images/Ash Donelon
02:16 PM BST
56 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Amad runs in from the right and across the 18-yard line to pass to Mount who bends a shot from 20 yards, the left of the D, towards the bottom right that Tse dives low to his left to tip away.
02:14 PM BST
53 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1
Munro is on the right of Heaven and Armer on the left. Heaven delays a pass to Dorgu and the left wing-back is caught offside. He blames Heaven, rolling a hand to tell him to lively up himself but he should have timed his run better.
02:09 PM BST
GOAL!
Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 1 (Obi) Teed up by Mainoo’s strength in the inside-right position, rolling it back to the D where Collyer was tripped but Obi pounced on the loose ball, held off a one of the subs, Gerbig, I think, turned to face goal and bend a left-foot shot into the bottom left corner.
02:08 PM BST
48 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Ugarte, fed by a reverse pass from Armer, shoots into Obi’s back.
02:07 PM BST
48 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Yue pulls down Dorgu in the box which should have been a penalty but the referee is not convinced. Nice one-two with Mount to put him in the box.
02:05 PM BST
46 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
New Manchester United XI: Bayandir; Armer, Heaven, Munro; Amad, Collyer, Ugarte, Dorgu; Mount, Mainoo; Obi.
02:03 PM BST
Looks like Amorim will make 11 changes
Just as he did in Kuala Lumpur. If that is the end for Bruno (and Garnacho) that would be a bit like arriving on a winged chariot and departing on a dustcart.
01:51 PM BST
Half-time: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Well… Manchester United have been the more adventurous side but were picked off on the break and are a goal down because their keeper flapped at a near-post shot. There will be lots of talk of plumbing depths, new nadirs etc but it’s like a perfect storm of dysfunction that goes well beyond Heaton’s error. Anyone involved in recruitment under Ten Hag, Ratcliffe and, of course, the Glazers bear most responsibility for this.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Bright spots? Garnacho and Kamason, I’d say.
01:48 PM BST
45+1 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Yue heads a Fredricson cross behind for a corner. He was under no pressure so it was totally unnecessary but Tse punches the corner away.
01:47 PM BST
44 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
United are parked 30 yards from the Hong Kong goal but cannot penetrate into the box. Lots of running around, lots of commitment but no guile.
01:46 PM BST
42 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Bruno bends in a menacing corner that Fredricson ought to bury after a good near post run, having lost his marker, but makes a poor connection and the ball slides off his forehead and into the ground. Tse picks it up on the bounce.
01:43 PM BST
40 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Evans brings the ball out fo defence and advances to 10 yards inside the United half. They work the ball out to Kamason on the right and his cross should be controlled and cleared by Tsui but he scuffs it behind.
01:41 PM BST
37 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Rasmus Hojlund needs a break and not just today. A loan? A sale? They cannot continue with him like this, so bereft of confidence, basic technique deserts him at times.
01:39 PM BST
35 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Triple chance from the same move, Bruno put through by Fletcher tries a funky finish with a right-foot rabona over the keeper that Tse blocks. Bruno retrieves and squares for Hojlund who lets it slip under his studs and Kamason, following up, puts his instep through a shot that Yue blocks a yard in front of the line.
01:37 PM BST
33 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Koné has a fine shot on him but gets this one all wrong with his left, pumping it miles over from 22 yards.
01:36 PM BST
31 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Man Utd free-kick on the left after a foul on Amass. Bruno bends it towards goal with his right and once again Hojlund runs beyond it which means he has to crane his neck back to flick it… but not on target or anywhere near any back-post runners.
Garnacho faces up a defender
Garnacho tries to get Manchester United back into the game - REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
01:32 PM BST
29 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Koné finds Hojlund to the left of the D with a cute pass and all he has to do is slip it to Bruno running in but he turns and shoots straight into Jones’ shins. He was never going to squeeze it through.
01:31 PM BST
27 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Two subs for Manchester United:
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Koné → Lacey
Tyler Fletcher → Casemiro
01:27 PM BST
25 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Drinks break in 27C heat and 75 per cent humidity.
01:26 PM BST
24 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Bruno is penalised for a foul on Juninho inside the Hong Kong half. The rain is positively Mancunian.
01:25 PM BST
22 min: Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0
Hard to know what to say, really. Manchester United have not been woeful but time and again they have proved that everything is built on sand, one dodgy keeper after another, one lumbering centre-back after another, all season.
01:20 PM BST
GOAL!
Hong Kong 1 Man Utd 0 (Juninho) Big mistake at the near post from Heaton who lets Juninho’s fizzing shot through his grasp. It’s been all Manchester United but when Wong chips a ball over the inside-left channel, Kukonki, on the cover, failed to beat Juninho to it or make a tackle. Juninho then opened his body to thump a low shot towards the near post that diddled Heaton who gets up with egg plastered all over his face.
01:20 PM BST
18 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Lots of empty seats, particularly in the upper tier. Very wet, though… and extortionate prices.
01:18 PM BST
16 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Garnacho drives to the byline and pulls back a pass to the penalty spot. Lacey races in to finish… and slips, making him drag the ball towards right corner flag.
01:16 PM BST
15 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
From the corner on the right Man Utd work it to Garnacho on the left and he cuts in, skips an attempted trip and thumps a right-foot shot that Tse again swoops low to turn away.
01:15 PM BST
13 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Lacey dribbles enterprisingly down the inside-right channel and is brought down by Merkies, 25 yards out. Bruno takes the free-kick and makes it bounce just in front of the keeper to test his reflexes and the zip off the slick grass. Tse parries it to his left and they scramble it behind for a corner.
01:13 PM BST
11 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Manchester United certainly look more awake than they did, battered by jet lag, in KL. Having said that they are playing demonstrably inferior players, only one from the Chinese Super League and one from Bundesliga 2 breaking up the Hong Kong League dominance.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Casemiro pings a diagonal out to the left, Amass takes a touch to control it and whips it into the box bit can’t pick out Hojlund.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim
01:09 PM BST
8 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Liked the look of Kamason in his 15-minute Kuala Lumpu cameo and here he drives down the right wing to the byline and pulls back a very promising pass that Hojlund misjudges and runs in front of it while Garnacho can’t reach it.
01:08 PM BST
6 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Bruno bends the subsequent free-kick into the box and Casemiro buries it with a diving header… from an offside position.
01:07 PM BST
5 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Evans chips a diagonal with his right that Hojlund traps with his chest on the left of the box after a weak defensive back-header, takes it down and shoots low with his left. Tse makes a smart save. Hong Kong hack the ball away and Lacey down when he tries to start another attack.
01:05 PM BST
3 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Amass wastes a good chance of finding Hojlund in the box with a heavy and unnecessary touch. The pitch is drenched in parts, zipping around on a skiddy surface in others.
01:03 PM BST
1 min: Hong Kong 0 Man Utd 0
Manchester United kick off and although they lose the ball, Merkies doesn’t have the pace down the left to trouble Casemiro and United win it back to trigger a counter up the left.
12:59 PM BST
Hong Kong’s formation
According to MUTV is the rarely seen 3-1-3-1-2
12:58 PM BST
The players are on the pitch
Club and national team share the same colours so Manchester United are in red with black shorts and socks, Hong Kong, captained by Fernando, are in white with black and red trim.
12:48 PM BST
There is a sense of an ending about Bruno Fernandes tonight
12:41 PM BST
Meanwhile in Mumbai
12:30 PM BST
Al-Hilal confident over Bruno Fernandes transfer as £100m Man Utd talks progress
Al-Hilal are increasingly confident of landing a deal for Bruno Fernandes after positive talks over the Manchester United captain.
The Saudi Arabia champions have made Fernandes, 30, their main summer target and want to wrap up a move before the Fifa Club World Cup starts in a fortnight.
Discussions over a stunning transfer have accelerated in the past few days with Fernandes’s agent, Miguel Pinho, holding talks in the Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh which have led to Al-Hilal believing there is a genuine possibility of a deal.
The Saudi Pro League (SPL) winners are looking to make up to three signings this summer and take advantage of United’s financial problems with a deal that could be worth between £80million to £100m.
12:21 PM BST
Hong Kong team news
Tse Ka Wing; Yue Tze Nam, Jones, Tsui Wang Kit; Fernando, Ngan Cheuk Pan, Anson Wong Ho Chun, Juninho; Everton, Udebuluzur, Merkies.
12:15 PM BST
It’s nice to know you’re here…
Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee have been along for the ride but neither has been fit enough even for the bench in either game.
Joshua Zirkzee and De Ligt in training gear
Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee are also sitting out the second match of the tour - Manchester United via Getty Images/Ash Donelon
12:09 PM BST
Man Utd’s support in Asia is crumbling
“I get stick almost every Monday morning when I get to work,” Nigel Lee says with a resigned laugh. “I used to be the one giving stick to them – things change.”
Such are the perils of being a Manchester United fan in Hong Kong. Lee, who is 40 and secretary of the Official Manchester United Supporters Club Hong Kong, has supported the club since 1991-92, the year before the Premier League launched. Never has he known a season like this: 15th place was United’s lowest top-flight finish since 1974.
The lack of interest in Manchester United’s match against Hong Kong on Friday shows the club’s diminished status. Just 24 hours away from the game, in United’s first visit to Hong Kong since 2013, there were still a significant number of tickets available. By contrast, friendlies in the city in July involving Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham sold out within hours.
12:05 PM BST
The long goodbye?
Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho both start for Ruben Amorim’s side – we know it’s almost certainly Garnacho’s last match for the club but could it also be Bruno’s swansong given the money on offer from the SPL for player and club alike? If I were a Manchester United fan (perish the thought) I would fear it might be.
12:02 PM BST
Manchester United team news
Heaton; Fredricson, Evans, Kukonki; Kamason, Casemiro, Fernandes, Amass; Garnacho, Lacey; Hojlund
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Substitutes Bayindir, Armer, Munro, Heaven, Collyer, Dorgu, Kone, Mainoo, Moorhouse, Mount, Fletcher, Ugarte, Amad, Obi, Thwaites.
10:16 AM BST
This afternoon’s squads
Manchester United Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton; Harry Amass, Dan Armer, Matthijs de Ligt, Patrick Dorgu, Jonny Evans, Tyler Fredricson, Ayden Heaven, Jaydan Kamason, Godwill Kukonki, Reece Munro, Luke Shaw; Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Bruno Fernandes, Tyler Fletcher, Sekou Kone, Kobbie Mainoo, Jack Moorhouse, Mason Mount, Jim Thwaites, Manuel Ugarte; Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, Rasmus Hojlund, Shea Lacey, Chido Obi, Joshua Zirkzee.
Hong Kong Tse Ka Wing, Ng Wai Him; Helio, Sun Ming Him. Yue Tze Nam. Tsui Wang Kit, Oliver Gerbig, Leon Jones, Yu Wai Lim, Dudu; Tan Chun Lok, Everton, Fernando, Ngan Cheuk Pan, Mahama Awal, Nicholas Benavides, Raphaël Merkies, Sohgo Ichikawa; Wong Wai, Juninho, Michael Udebuluzor, Stefan Pereira, Wong Ho Chun, Lau Ka Kiu.
10:11 AM BST
Preview: What fresh hell?
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Manchester United’s final post-season tour match against Hong King. It may be difficult to pinpoint exactly which circle of hell United are traversing at the moment – they’ve been through limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger and heresy but is this violence, fraud or treachery – but it’s certainly hot down there for all concerned. In the scale of things, losing to a scratch South-East Asian XI while pocketing £8 million barely matters given the long, morale-sapping season they’ve had, the weight of the shirt (and not just in oppressive heat and humidity) and the unsuitability of Ruben Amorim’s tactics for the personnel he has and vice versa.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
On Wednesday Amorim used 27 players, leaving Altay Bayindir unused, which meant only the starting XI, which stayed together for merely 30 minutes, had any hope of finding any coherence and even they couldn’t manage it against a well-drilled side that also made multiple changes but still managed to break Manchester United’s defensive structure with fast dribbling and slotted, diagonal passes between the middle centre-half and his colleagues left and right and between them and their wing-backs.
The Hong Kong national team they play today have beaten Macau 2-0 and drawn 0-0 with Singapore this year and are tuning up for an Asia Cup qualifier against India on June 10. They are managed by former Manchester United trainee Ashley Westwood, a defender you may remember from his stints at Crewe, Sheffield Wednesday and Wrexham. That Singapore draw capped an unprecedented winning run in the team’s history in which the Brazil-born winger Everton scored five goals. Juninho, also born in Brazil, is the main threat up front and should Amorim riffle through his subs as quickly as he did in Kuala Lumpur, the Kitchee forward has the skill to make him pay.
While Harry Maguire, Andre Onana and Diogo Dalot have gone to India to flog tyres and do a meet and greet, Luke Shaw, Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee, who were in the stands on Wednesday, are all in tonight’s squad.