Marcus Rashford returned, while Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes played in midfield together, as Manchester United played two friendlies against West Bromwich Albion on Friday.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used his entire first-team squad in two separate training games against the Championship side at Old Trafford, losing 2-1 and then winning 3-1.
Pogba and Fernandes played in midfield together during the opening defeat, with Fernandes scoring a penalty and missing one, and United fans will have been encouraged to hear Rashford made his comeback from a back injury suffered in January, on the day Euro 2020 would have started.
Rashford later posted pictures from the game on Twitter, commenting: “Loved every minute of it.”
Rashford looked in the mood and could have scored two, but was brilliantly denied twice by Albion goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
In the second game, Andreas Pereira scored twice, along with a goal from Tahith Chong. Pereira’s first was a left-footed curling beauty into the top corner, before slotting a second through the goalkeeper’s legs as he was played through one-on-one by Fred. Chong capitalised on a goalkeeping error for his goal.
Anthony Martial, Daniel James, Eric Bailly, Teden Mengi and Axel Tuanzebe also played in the first game, with Pereira, Chong, David De Gea, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Odion Ighalo, Fred, Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw starting the second.
Some players played across both games, while United said on their club website: “Players did not eat at the stadium, instead taking pre-prepared food home as the club continues to work hard to ensure a safe environment due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
United were due to play Stoke in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday, but the match at Carrington was cancelled as Potters manager Michael O’Neill tested positive for coronavirus.
Harry Kane was among four players who returned to the Tottenham side for a friendly against Norwich – but they lost 2-1 to the Premier League’s basement club.
Kane was injured when the season was suspended due to coronavirus as well as Moussa Sissoko, Heung-Min Son and Steven Bergwijn – but they all played in the defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Manchester United midfielders Pogba and Fernandes are good enough to play together but may need to make “sacrifices”, according to Darren Fletcher.
Former United midfielder Fletcher, who appeared on Friday’s MUTV Group Chat to discuss a range of topics, says the pair may need to make sacrifices in their own game to benefit the team.
When asked if Pogba and Fernandes could play with each other, Fletcher said: “Without doubt, of course. Great players can come together.
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