Manchester United’s 2025 pre-season campaign is up and running after Saturday’s Roses clash with Leeds in Stockholm.
While the 0-0 scoreline may not have offered much in terms of a result, there is plenty else that United can take from the summer opener as we bid farewell to the Swedish capital and prepare to head to the United States for the next leg of our preparatory schedule.
From minutes in the legs to the latest reminder of our incredible global support, keep reading for five of the plus points that stood out from the Scandinavian sojourn…
From minutes in the legs to the latest reminder of our incredible global support, keep reading for five of the plus points that stood out from the Scandinavian sojourn…
MINUTES IN THE LEGS
The final scoreline was perhaps befitting of the fact that it was both teams’ first outing of the pre-season, but United didn’t just travel to Scandinavia looking to make a winning start to the summer – getting minutes in the legs of players across the squad would have also been high on the priority list. That goal was achieved at the Strawberry Arena, with 24 of the 29 Reds who travelled to Sweden playing some part in the contest, with the starting XI all getting the entirety of the first half before 13 members of Amorim’s group had the opportunity to boost their match fitness and sharpness after the interval. Thankfully, it looks as though those who featured all came through unscathed injury-wise, so it was also a positive outing on that front.
The final scoreline was perhaps befitting of the fact that it was both teams’ first outing of the pre-season, but United didn’t just travel to Scandinavia looking to make a winning start to the summer – getting minutes in the legs of players across the squad would have also been high on the priority list. That goal was achieved at the Strawberry Arena, with 24 of the 29 Reds who travelled to Sweden playing some part in the contest, with the starting XI all getting the entirety of the first half before 13 members of Amorim’s group had the opportunity to boost their match fitness and sharpness after the interval. Thankfully, it looks as though those who featured all came through unscathed injury-wise, so it was also a positive outing on that front.
FOUNDATION FOR THE NEW BOYS
Among the starters in the Swedish capital were summer recruits Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon, who looked like they enjoyed their maiden opportunity to take to the turf with their United team-mates. Both players showed positive signs in their 45-minute cameos and it almost goes without saying how important these pre-season matches will be for them to bed in and become more familiar with their new colleagues, club and system of play. Cunha and Leon are now expected to be part of Amorim’s squad that heads to the United States, and that trip – like the one just gone – will also be a good opportunity for them to integrate off the field too.
Among the starters in the Swedish capital were summer recruits Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon, who looked like they enjoyed their maiden opportunity to take to the turf with their United team-mates. Both players showed positive signs in their 45-minute cameos and it almost goes without saying how important these pre-season matches will be for them to bed in and become more familiar with their new colleagues, club and system of play. Cunha and Leon are now expected to be part of Amorim’s squad that heads to the United States, and that trip – like the one just gone – will also be a good opportunity for them to integrate off the field too.
A CLAIM STAKED BY HEATON
Tom was arguably United’s standout performer in Sweden, after coming on at half-time and producing two particularly key saves to stop Leeds from grabbing a decisive goal. The sheer number of substitutions from both sides at the break completely changed the course of the game and after his shot-stopping counterpart Altay Bayindir was kept relatively quiet in the first 45, we were thankful to Heaton for keeping out efforts that looked to be heading in from Jayden Bogle and his fellow United Academy graduate Largie Ramazani. Those stops will do the 39-year-old – who signed a new one-year contract last month – no harm in his voiced determination to get more regular minutes, particularly with Andre Onana currently recovering from a small issue.
Tom was arguably United’s standout performer in Sweden, after coming on at half-time and producing two particularly key saves to stop Leeds from grabbing a decisive goal. The sheer number of substitutions from both sides at the break completely changed the course of the game and after his shot-stopping counterpart Altay Bayindir was kept relatively quiet in the first 45, we were thankful to Heaton for keeping out efforts that looked to be heading in from Jayden Bogle and his fellow United Academy graduate Largie Ramazani. Those stops will do the 39-year-old – who signed a new one-year contract last month – no harm in his voiced determination to get more regular minutes, particularly with Andre Onana currently recovering from a small issue.
THE FIRST TOP-FLIGHT TESTER
Improvement in the Premier League after last season’s 15th-placed finish is a must for United this season, so playing four sides from English football’s top flight before the proper term has kicked off is surely a positive for Amorim’s Reds. Leeds are back in the big time for 2025/26 having won the Championship title under Daniel Farke in the previous campaign and were the first of a quartet of tests that we’ve got this summer against teams elsewhere in the division. Duels with West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton are all to come in the United States and while line-ups, systems and tactics may differ from what we see come August’s big kick-off, having the opportunity to get up to speed against clubs also priming themselves to compete in the best league in the world over the coming months is something that shouldn’t be underestimated.
Improvement in the Premier League after last season’s 15th-placed finish is a must for United this season, so playing four sides from English football’s top flight before the proper term has kicked off is surely a positive for Amorim’s Reds. Leeds are back in the big time for 2025/26 having won the Championship title under Daniel Farke in the previous campaign and were the first of a quartet of tests that we’ve got this summer against teams elsewhere in the division. Duels with West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton are all to come in the United States and while line-ups, systems and tactics may differ from what we see come August’s big kick-off, having the opportunity to get up to speed against clubs also priming themselves to compete in the best league in the world over the coming months is something that shouldn’t be underestimated.
A REMINDER OF OUR GLOBAL SUPPORT
Games in Norway (Oslo in 2023 and Trondheim in 2024) have set the tone for United’s well-followed pre-season campaigns in recent years, and Scandinavia has certainly delivered once again over the last few days. Over 45,000 supporters were in attendance for Saturday’s fixture at the Strawberry Arena – the majority adorning its seats in our striking red jerseys – although it wasn’t just at the match where the passionate backing for the club in this part of the world could be felt: the team hotel was lined with fans waiting to welcome players and staff on Friday and to wish good luck pre-match on Saturday, while hundreds attended special events organised by our brilliant Scandinavia Supporters’ Club across both days in the city. The game was United’s first visit to Sweden since 2017 and we hope it won’t be long before we’re back again, as the summer schedule moves to the USA and another corner of the globe where the Reds are ardently adored.
Games in Norway (Oslo in 2023 and Trondheim in 2024) have set the tone for United’s well-followed pre-season campaigns in recent years, and Scandinavia has certainly delivered once again over the last few days. Over 45,000 supporters were in attendance for Saturday’s fixture at the Strawberry Arena – the majority adorning its seats in our striking red jerseys – although it wasn’t just at the match where the passionate backing for the club in this part of the world could be felt: the team hotel was lined with fans waiting to welcome players and staff on Friday and to wish good luck pre-match on Saturday, while hundreds attended special events organised by our brilliant Scandinavia Supporters’ Club across both days in the city. The game was United’s first visit to Sweden since 2017 and we hope it won’t be long before we’re back again, as the summer schedule moves to the USA and another corner of the globe where the Reds are ardently adored.