MANCHESTER United manager Ruben Amorim admitted his team lacked pace in midfield after a goalless pre-season draw against Leeds United on Saturday. The match, played in Stockholm, marked United’s first outing of their pre-season campaign.
United endured a disappointing 2024-25 Premier League season, finishing 15th and missing out on Champions League qualification after losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur. Their struggles continued against newly promoted Leeds, with new signing Matheus Cunha failing to make a significant impact in the starting lineup.
“We suffered a little bit when we tried to press high, they kick the ball, win the second ball and they were a danger in that moment,“ Amorim told MUTV. “We have a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park, and you can feel it, (so) that’s hard to bring the ball (forward). But we created chances.”
Despite the underwhelming performance, Amorim remained optimistic, calling it a “good test” against a Premier League opponent. “As a group, we have a lot to improve, the speed of the game, all the details, so, yeah, we are going to improve,“ he added.
United’s next pre-season fixture is against West Ham United at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 26. – Reuters
