MANCHESTER UNITED BEAT RANGERS AS JADON SANCHO RETURNS AND LENY YORO IMPRESSES ON DEBUT – ‘WE WERE A TEAM’

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EURO SPORT

It was a good afternoon for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, as The Red Devils welcomed back Jadon Sancho and saw a refreshing first glimpse of new signing Leny Yoro in a 2-0 pre-season friendly win over Scottish side Rangers. Amad Diallo and Joe Hugill were on target for United, as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham also won on Saturday.

After a falling out with Erik ten Hag last season, Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund on loan for the second part of the campaign and helped the German side reach the UEFA Champions League final.

However, it seems as though any previous issues between Sancho and Ten Hag have been ironed out after the pair held “positive” talks over the summer.

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Ten Hag was impressed with how United bounced back from Monday’s defeat to beat Rangers, and after such a turbulent season last term, was pleased with how his side played as “a team”.

“I want to win every game so I was very disappointed on Monday, but especially with the performance which is even more important in pre-season,” Ten Hag said after Saturday’s victory.

“You want to grow, and that is what we have seen today. It was much better in terms of the aggressiveness, we were on the front foot, and we were a team in both halves.”

Erik ten Hag, Leny Yoro, Manchester United

Image credit: Getty Images

Amad Diallo was on target for United against his old club and after the match, Ten Hag hinted at an important role for the Ivorian this season by saying it “has to be the year” for the 22-year-old.

“We have to see Amad in a different way,” the Man Utd boss said.

“He is young, but he is not inexperienced any more. He had a bad time with injuries last year, but then had a successful loan in the Championship.

“And then at the end of last season he had a very good time in our first-team. This has to be the year.”

The Dutchman took no time at all bringing Sancho back into the fold, as he started from the off in United’s second pre-season game against the 55-time Scottish champions and played all 90 minutes.

After a relatively youthful side lost to Rosenborg earlier in the week, Ten Hag deployed a few more experienced heads at Murrayfield with Andre Onana, Amad Diallo and Sancho coming into the side, with Yoro starting his first game in United colours following his £52 million transfer.

Following a Premier League season where United leaked 58 goals, Red Devils fans got a welcome first glimpse of Yoro who slotted into the defence alongside Jonny Evans and looked right at home during his 45 minutes of action.

He made an excellent last-ditch challenge early on to deny striker Cyriel Dessers a clear path to goal within the first 10 minutes, preventing a one-on-one situation.

The young centre-back also enjoyed having the ball at his feet and continuously built attacks from the back, completing 92% of his passes.

Diallo broke the deadlock for The Red Devils just before half-time with a brilliant finish, assisted by Mason Mount.

He cut inside onto his left foot from the right following a driving run into the penalty area, before curling an effort across goal and in at the far post.

With an influx of youth introduced at half-time, 20-year-old Joe Hugill doubled United’s lead with a thumping effort after he latched onto a clever through ball from teenager Maxi Oyedele.