View from the press box: United 2 Leeds 0

The Norwegian capital's steep-stepped Ullevaal Stadion provided quite the setting for our first runout of the summer, with second-half goals from youngsters Noam Emeran and Joe Hugill among the many positives to draw from a valuable trip to Scandinavia for Erik ten Hag's side.

It ensured that there was plenty more to take in from the press box than just the picturesque Nordic nature that was visible over the stand on the far side, and below are five of the most pertinent things that stood out to myself from the ground's media seating, as the first action of a busy pre-season campaign unfolded...

REMEMBERING MCQUEEN

Everyone at Manchester United was saddened when Gordon McQueen passed away in June, and in the words of his daughter Hayley, it was "almost fate" that the two clubs where the great defender spent most of his playing career would meet on the pitch so soon after. The Ullevaal Stadion was the stage for a touching tribute prior to kick-off, with both captains on the afternoon leading their teams out with 'McQueen 5' on the back of their shirts. A minute's applause broke out around the ground as the stadium announcer read out Gordon's many achievements. It was a fitting way to honour a man who gave so much to both the red and the white-rose teams.

MOUNT SETTLING IN NICELY

Plenty has already been said about our new signing's encouraging first outing in a United shirt, and the one thing that struck me from watching him closely throughout his first-half cameo was how comfortable he looked around his new team-mates.

Ten Hag spoke to MUTV before the game about how it was a bonus to have Mason integrating with the squad from the start of pre-season, and as well as his assured start on the pitch, there were also some early signs of the camaraderie he is building with his new colleagues.

Our no.7 was notably keen to get involved in the warm-up and acknowledged the work of several of his younger peers on the way off the pitch following those preparations. When the game did start, Mount looked at home and his efforts across a lively 45-minute cameo were definitely appreciated by the crowd in Scandinavia.

YOUNG REDS IMPRESSED

It goes without saying how important the Academy pathway is at United, and so it was particularly satisfying to see a whole host of youngsters get their opportunity on a senior platform, in front of thousands of fans on Wednesday. Our youthful second-half XI played a decisive role in securing a victory, with the strikes coming from Academy players Emeran and Hugill, and there's no doubting the confidence that they will be able to garner from that collective contribution.

Earlier, in our starting XI, Amad, Alvaro Fernandez and Hannibal all looked like they had never been away, in their first games back from successful loan spells in the Championship last season, while Kobbie Mainoo and Omari Forson showed the qualities that we have seen in our youth ranks. Teenage attacking midfielder Isak Hansen-Aaroen was another player who impressed me when given his opportunity after half-time; as a Norwegian, he was of particular interest to the local fans throughout the trip.

NEW KIT IN ACTION

Another enjoyable aspect of pre-season is seeing the club's brand-new kit being worn on the pitch for the very first time. It was perhaps fitting that United would debut our 2023/24 adidas home strip, which features a red-rose design on the shirt, in a War-of-the-Roses clash with Leeds.

The black trim on the sides reminds me of the home kit worn at the time of our Premier League title win in 2002/2003, and while my press-box view from the top tier of the arena wasn't quite close enough to fully take in the finer details of the jersey, I could spot plenty of supporters rocking the new look in the seats around us. Martinez, Mount and Rashford seemed to be the most popular names printed on the back of them.

FANTASTIC FAN SUPPORT

The final word of this piece must go to the brilliant backing that Ten Hag's side received throughout the trip to Norway. Scandinavia is home to United's biggest supporters' club outside the UK, and it's easy to see why the region has become a desired destination for our pre-season trips over recent years. The Reds have now played in Oslo four times since 2017, and have received incredible support on every occasion, both in the stadium and around the Norwegian capital.

I was lucky enough to attend a special event for fans in the city on the eve of Wednesday's match, and although I had a prior understanding of how well the club is supported in Norway, it was eye-opening pn my first visit to see how big the love for United really is. The passion is infectious, the people are incredibly welcoming and I, for one, hope it isn't too long before United return again.

The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.