Martial, Ronaldo and Van de Beek – The winners and losers from Man Utd’s pre-season tour

Updated: 23 Jul 2022 13:37 BST
3 min read

Anthony Martial, Man Utd, 2022/23 — © ProShots

Manchester United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia proved to be a success for new manager Erik ten Hag, who watched his side negotiate four friendly matches without defeat.

Although the tour finished on a slight low as they threw away a 2-0 lead against Aston Villa, the statistics are impressive: United leave Australia with three wins and a draw; they scored 13 goals and conceded only four.

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But who were the big winners from this pre-season experience, and which players lost out?

Winners

Anthony Martial

Out of form, lacking in confidence and wholly out of favour last season, Anthony Martial has given himself a shot at being in Ten Hag’s plans for the coming season after scoring three times in four matches. Having looked rejuvenated in pre-season training under the new manager, Martial appears ready to bring that form onto the field and rediscover his best level. At the very least, he has earned his chance and a summer transfer is surely off the cards.

Diogo Dalot and Jadon Sancho

One of the hallmarks of Ten Hag’s system is a focus on the wide areas, and the immediate impact it has had on the right side of Man Utd’s team has been profound. Jadon Sancho, who underperformed last season, has been bubbling on tour, aided in no small part by Dalot. They have struck up a partnership that could be key in the months ahead.

Erik ten Hag

The manager arrived with some critics doubtful of his ability to coach a club of Manchester United’s size. Obstacles have been thrown in his way, but he has negotiated them all soundly. What must be most pleasing for him is that the structure he wants to put in place at Old Trafford on the field already appears to be coming together.

Losers

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is a loser from this tour, despite being thousands of miles away in Portugal. Though officially absent because of personal reasons, it is evident that he wants to leave the club. Regardless of the reasoning behind his absence, if a transfer fails to materialise, he is going to have a lot of ground to make up on his colleagues, who are now several weeks into understanding the Ten Hag approach.

Donny van de Beek

He was meant to be the big winner of Ten Hag’s arrival, pinpointed as the man whose game would benefit most from the new manager. Instead, he continues to look like a passenger. Given that so many Man Utd players impressed, his struggles were made all the more evident. He is edging ever closer to the Old Trafford exit.