Roundtable picks out five crucial factors from Manchester United's impressive win against Rosenborg in the second match of pre-season.
How much game time will Shea Lacey get next season?
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Manchester United took an impressive victory in the second match of pre-season against Rosenborg in Trondheim.
While Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire were withdrawn after 45 minutes, the rest of the starting XI played 60 minutes as they continued their pre-season preparations.
Rosenborg are a third of the way through their campaign, so an easy game was not to be expected. Michael Carrick will not have been happy with the slow start, though, even if the atmosphere did not really help matters.
Shea Lacey opened the scoring after 31 minutes. The young wide player – playing as a No.10 – made the run beyond Joshua Zirkzee, who found him with a brilliant pass. Lacey slowed himself down, shifted his body, and curled it into the left post. The less said about the rest of the 45 minutes, the better.
Joshua Zirkzee and Jacob Devaney netted the second and third goals of the match in what became an easy second half for Manchester United. Harry Amass added a fourth minutes later after a brilliant cross from Jaydan Kamason. The young right-back impressed again for Ethan Williams' goal to make it 5-0.
Headlines were made before the match, with 15-year-old JJ Gabriel included in a first-team matchday squad for the first time. But the youngster will have to wait for his first minutes after being left on the bench during United's 60-minute round of changes.
For the third Manchester United match in a row – including the final game of the season against Brighton – Mason Mount has started in the double pivot. As he was against Wrexham, he was alongside Andrey Santos in Trondheim.
However, this was not the same Mason Mount.
When he played that role under Erik ten Hag, Rúben Amorim, or even Michael Carrick last season, you could be forgiven for mistaking Mount for a Duracell (other battery brands are available) bunny. In other words, he was much more of a runner than a passer.
Against Rosenborg, not only did Mount dictate the play from deep, but he also saved his energy. There were times when he used his speed and agility to win back possession, but the majority of the match was spent maintaining his position and marshalling his teammates.
By playing that way, Mount could save himself from future muscle issues – which have plagued his time as a Manchester United footballer. He also formed a nice combination with new signing Andrey Santos.
Joshua Zirkzee is not a striker. That is common knowledge amongst Manchester United fans. Zirkzee himself even said he was more of a '9.5' than an out-and-out centre-forward. So, do not play him up front.
During the first 45 minutes, Zirkzee struggled to get into the game – unless he was dropping off the backline and into pockets of space in midfield.
His best moment of the game came in the 31st minute, when he found himself deeper than Shea Lacey. Zirkzee turned and played a beautifully weighted ball into Lacey's stride, allowing him to slow down and convert the first goal of pre-season.
The Dutchman found the net after halftime, but even that came from a deeper starting position. His momentum allowed two deft feints to sell the centre-back and the goalkeeper for an open-goal finish.
Zirkzee still being a Manchester United player when the new campaign begins seems unlikely, but if he is going to play for Michael Carrick's side, he should be playing as a No.10, not a striker.
Unfortunately for Zirkzee, young Shea Lacey stands in his way.
Against Wrexham, Lacey impressed from the bench on the right flank, but he was handed a starting spot on Friday. With Mbeumo playing on the right, Lacey occupied the attacking midfielder spot, which Jack Fletcher took up in the first match.
On the ball, Lacey looked more than good enough to be alongside his more senior Manchester United teammates, while he also held his position well when out of possession. Defensive discipline can be an issue with some academy wide players when they break into the first team, but not Lacey.
With Amad and Bryan Mbeumo occupying the right-winger role, Lacey's best chance of game time could be as an attacking midfielder. Opportunities will still be rare, given Bruno Fernandes' importance to Manchester United, but Carrick could be hinting he is willing to play him there if he continues to impress.
While he moved into central defence during the second half, Leny Yoro impressed as a right-back during the first 45 minutes, as he did against Wrexham.
Unlike when he played that position last term, Yoro looked comfortable. He knew when to join the attack and when to sit off. He knew when to close down his man and when to hold his position. He knew what to do.
Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui (and maybe Jaydan Kamason after his decent cameo) will be Michael Carrick's right-back options next season, but Yoro's versatility could prove important in the cup competitions.
Playing as a full-back will also give Yoro more minutes on the pitch – allowing his development to continue.
Thankfully for Manchester United, it is not an issue of Harry Amass being a bad footballer; the former Watford youngster impressed during his 45 minutes after replacing Luke Shaw at halftime. Instead, the problem is what to do with him.
United have been linked with several left-backs this summer, given Shaw is the only senior left-sided defender at Old Trafford after Patrick Dorgu moved higher up the pitch. Harry Amass could be an option to save United some money, but is it fair to rely on him next season?
An injury to Shaw – which unfortunately feels like more of an inevitability than bad luck – would leave Amass as the only left-back at the club. Mazraoui and Dorgu could help him fulfil Shaw's role, but he would be expected to play the majority of the minutes.
It also feels unfair to let Amass wait until United decide if they can afford to sign a left-back, after they have signed a third midfielder, a centre-forward and maybe a left-winger, too.
For his sake, and so United can plan their transfers, a decision needs to be made soon. Whatever the call is, though, there is a player there.