Picture of Luke Shaw
Picture of Luke Shaw
Manchester United faced Paris Saint-Germain in their fourth pre-season match of the season in Gothenburg, Sweden.
First half
United got off to the worst possible start when the European champions took the lead after just three minutes.
The French side played the ball well across the goal, beating Ayden Heaven, and Ibrahim Mbaye slotted home past Tom Heaton. Just seconds later, it was almost two when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a shot from range but Heaton stopped it and gobbled up the rebound.
United had their first moment of quality after seven minutes when Amad and Shea Lacey combined well down the right-hand side. Lacey played a ball in for Mbeumo, but he headed the ball over the crossbar.
There was another brief moment of positivity when Harry Maguire picked out Patrick Dorgu, who beat his man, but his cross found a PSG defender in the box. After 16 minutes, PSG broke away again following poor midfield play by United, and when Mbaye was through on goal, Andrey Santos made a crucial block to clear the ball over the crossbar.
United received more bad news when Mason Mount had to go off with an injury and was replaced by Tyler Fletcher. Bryan Mbeumo then tested Matvéi Safónov from a free kick, but the Russian was equal to it.
United have shown fight this pre-season, though, and they got themselves level after 33 minutes. Amad won the ball high up the pitch and played in Mbeumo, who made no mistake and fired the ball into the bottom corner.
The Red Devils will have been irritated by the referee waving away a penalty claim when Amad seemed to be pushed in the back. After 38 minutes, Mbeumo tested the French side’s keeper again with an excellent free kick, but he plucked the ball out of the top corner and United won a corner.
The half-time whistle blew and Carrick will have been content with how his side responded to going an early goal down.
Second half
United’s injury woes continued when Heaton had to come off after grabbing his hamstring after clearing the ball out of his box.
The Red Devils almost scored their second but were once again denied by PSG’s excellent Russian goalkeeper. A great ball up to Maguire was well taken by Mbeumo, who cut in and unleashed a fierce drive that was well stopped by Safónov.
PSG woke up and had their first effort on goal in a while when Noah Nsoki fired the ball into the side netting from just outside the box. The Swedish crowd showed their appreciation when Youri Tielemans made his debut from the bench, and captain Bruno Fernandes also made his first appearance of the pre-season.
The Red Devils absorbed a bit of pressure once PSG brought on some of their star names.
Nonetheless, they broke away and Zirkzee chased the ball towards the PSG keeper. The ball broke away to Jack Fletcher, but he refused the shot when there was nobody in net and passed the ball to Lacey, whose effort was blocked for a corner.
Maguire had United’s next chance when he marauded forward and smashed a left-footed drive, but it was straight into the hands of the grateful keeper. Fernandes had his first moment of danger after 83 minutes when he played the ball across goal and it narrowly drifted wide of the post.
The Red Devils pushed for a winner when Dalot chipped the ball over for Tyler Fletcher who headed the ball against the PSG defence and then the ball broke to Lacey who blazed over from a tight angle.
After 89 minutes, Fernandes almost stole the show when his curling effort was whipped just wide of the post.
PSG had a rare chance when Kvaratskhelia shot from distance but it didn’t trouble Mee at all.
That was the final chance of the match and United took a credible 1-1 draw with the Champions League winners.
First XI: Heaton, Mazraoui, Maguire, Mount, Dorgu, Amad, Andrey Santos, Mbeumo, Shaw, Heaven, Lacey
Subs: Tyler Fletcher, Dalot, Yoro, Fernandes, Tielemans, Zirkzee, Amass, Jack Fletcher
Featured image by David Lidstrom/Getty Images
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