Match report Arsenal v Man Utd pre season tour 27 July 2024

Arsenal 2 Manchester United 1

Sunday 28 July 2024 03:52

Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in Manchester United's no.9 shirt as Erik ten Hag's men lost 2-1 to Premier League rivals Arsenal over 90 minutes in Los Angeles - before winning a penalty shootout 4-3.

There were appropriately just over nine minutes on the clock in the first match of Tour 2024, presented by Snapdragon, when the Denmark international made his mark. Receiving Marcus Rashford's hooked pass, he surged forward from midway through Arsenal's half and overpowered young defender Ayden Heaven before slotting the ball through the legs of Gunners goalkeeper Karl Hein.

However, Hojlund's first outing since Euro 2024 ended abruptly. Having apparently caught his studs in the SoFi Stadium turf, the striker was substituted only a quarter of an hour into the contest, hopefully just as a precautionary measure. Hannibal came on in his place, in midfield, with Rashford, Mason Mount and the livewire Amad still carrying the Reds' attacking threat.

Rasmus's first goal as our no.9 Video

Watch the moment Rasmus Hojlund bulldozed his way past the Arsenal defence to open the scoring in LA...

It was Arsenal who struck the next blow, though, as Gabriel Jesus profited from the absence of VAR to poke home an equaliser. The Brazilian was ahead of United's last defender, Academy left-back Harry Amass, when he connected with a low ball into the six-yard box but Andre Onana's offside claim was ignored and the goal stood.

Mount nearly restored United's advantage almost immediately, with a rasping effort that Hein had to beat away, but parity remained intact until the interval when Ten Hag changed his entire outfield and opposite number Mikel Arteta also made some pre-planned changes.

The Reds had already sent on a second substitute by then, with new signing Lenny Yoro being replaced at centre-back by Rhys Bennett after being hurt ten minutes before the break. Again, it seemed to be a measure for guarding against further injury, rather than a matter of serious concern.

Bennett's half-time replacement Will Fish, who has spent the last two seasons on loan to Hibernian, was one of several Academy graduates who used the opportunity to step up and impress in the senior side. Another example was Toby Collyer, who started in defensive midfield alongside Casemiro and showed some composure on the ball as well as an eagerness to compete for possession.

Ten Hag also had plenty of experienced options on the bench. Antony, Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho all came on at the start of the second half, which inevitably took a while to get going as a raft of fresh personnel on both sides settled into the contest.

Onana, the only United player to complete the full contest, produced a world-class save just before the hour mark to keep the scoreline level at 1-1. The Cameroonian pawed Leandro Trossard's powerful attempt from inside the area over the crossbar.

Mount tests Hein Video

????️ MATCH MOMENT | Mason Mount stings the palms of Karl Hein as United look to restore our lead against Arsenal...

United's no.1 was spared similar trouble later in the half when Evans showed an impressive turn of pace, belying his status of elder statesman to cut off another Arsenal raid into the box.

But the Gunners eventually found another route to goal, nine minutes from the end of time. The fresh legs of Gabriel Martinelli, a recent replacement for Reiss Nelson, weaved past James Scanlon in the right-back area and tucked a low shot inside the left-hand post, much to the visible chagrin of Onana.

Arsenal therefore triumphed 2-1 in the match itself but United went on to have the last laugh of sorts, partly thanks to another sensational Onana stop. This time he denied Kai Havertz, in the penalty shootout, after McTominay had scored the Reds' first spot-kick to match Fabio Vieira's opener.

Evans put United 2-1 up, and although our prolific Academy goalscorer Ethan Wheatley uncharacteristically missed from 12 yards, Jakub Kiwior's spurned penalty meant further successes from Eriksen and finally Sancho eventually proved decisive as Ten Hag's men ended the finale 4-3.

LINE-UPS: FIRST HALF

Arsenal: Hein; White, Timber, Heaven, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Nwaneri; Nelson, Jesus, Trossard. 

United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Yoro (Bennett 35), Maguire, Amass; Casemiro, Collyer; Amad, Mount, Rashford; Hojlund (Hannibal 16).

LINE-UPS: SECOND HALF 

Arsenal: Hein; White (Nichols 63), Timber (Magalhaes 63), Heaven (Kiwior 46), Zinchenko (Lewis-Skelly 63); Odegaard (Havertz 71), Jorginho (Partey 63), Nwaneri (M'Hand 46); Nelson (Martinelli 71), Jesus (Nketiah 71), Trossard (Vieira 63). 

United: Onana; Scanlon, Fish, Evans, Murray; Oyedele, Eriksen; Antony, McTominay, Sancho; Wheatley. Subs not used: Heaton, Vitek, Fletcher, Mather.

Attendance: 62,486.

Goals: Hojlund 10 | Jesus 26, Martinelli 81. Penalty scorers: McTominay, Evans, Eriksen, Sancho | Vieira, Martinelli, Gabriel.

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