Manchester United will quickly want to forget the start of the USA leg of their pre-season as they lost 2-1 against an Arsenal side happy to play their senior players.
United made 10 changes at the stroke of half-time and played effectively with the reserve side, their issues exacerbated due to injuries to Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro.
Erik ten Hag has stressed that this season will be the “survival of the fittest” due to a barrage of games awaiting the club, indicating that more squad depth is needed.
They can’t afford to repeat last season’s situation as a hobbled and stitched-together side limped from one game to another.
The manager used the second-half changes vs Arsenal to send Ineos a clear transfer message with a shock selection call, making clear his priority.
Erik ten Hag’s statement substitution
Even when United announced their traveling squad for the USA leg of the pre-season there was one position that seemed remarkably thin.
In the absence of Diogo Dalot, who is on an extended holiday after his international duties with Portugal, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the only natural right-back in the squad.
That absence was felt even more keenly in the second-half vs Arsenal, when, out of all options, Ten Hag chose to field 17-year-old attacker James Scanlon at right-back.
The manager said after the game that Scanlon was playing in that position for the first time in his life and needed more cover and support.
The Gibraltar international was put through the wringer by Arsenal’s established first-team player, with him being skinned for one of the goals.
United didn’t take Habeeb Ogunneye for the tour which makes it seem like they are putting Wan-Bissaka in the shop window by having him play some minutes every game.
The right-back situation
It is an open secret that United are looking for offers for Wan-Bissaka. West Ham United are interested, so are Inter Milan, but the deal is yet to progress.
In his place, United are looking to sign Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui, whose move to The Hammers recently collapsed.
Due to the lack of clarity on the future of their options as well as transfer targets, United are in an unenviable situation of having just one fit senior option and even his one foot is out of the exit door.
After strengthening the attack and defence with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, the midfield was widely expected to be the next on the agenda.
But the developing situation at right-back has probably shifted the priorities as links to Manuel Ugarte have gone cold for now.
For his part, Ten Hag made it clear which position he feels he needs urgent reinforcements for by deploying Scanlon at right-back vs Arsenal’s stars.
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