Leny Yoro marked a significant milestone in his early career by making his debut for Manchester United following his substantial transfer of £52 million (equivalent to $67 million) from Lille. This moment occurred as Jadon Sancho made his much-anticipated return after a period of absence, contributing to United’s 2-0 victory in a friendly against Rangers on Saturday.
The match, held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, saw Yoro and Sancho emerging as the standout performers as they participated together in the first half of the encounter. This friendly served as a crucial warm-up as United gears up for the upcoming Premier League season. Goals from Amad Diallo and Joe Hugill were instrumental in ensuring a comfortable win for United against their Scottish Premiership opponents.
Only 48 hours after United invested heavily to bring Yoro on board, the highly regarded 18-year-old French defender took to the field. He was paired with veteran defender Jonny Evans, who is twice his age, showcasing a blend of youthful energy alongside seasoned experience in the central defensive role.
The crowd of 56,574 fans, cheering passionately at the home of Scottish rugby, were treated to a glimpse of Sancho’s much-anticipated return to action. This marked his first appearance since a heated disagreement with manager Erik Ten Hag last season. The 24-year-old had spent the latter half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, where he played a pivotal role in helping the team reach the Champions League final. Prior to that, Sancho had taken to social media to express his frustrations, stating that he felt he had been used as a “scapegoat” by Ten Hag when he was benched for a crucial game against Arsenal.
This game also marked Sancho’s first chance to play for United since his brief substitute appearance in a win against Nottingham Forest back in August of the previous year. In addition to Sancho, several other key players were absent from the match due to various reasons. Notably, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, recently acquired from Bologna, was unavailable as he rested following his participation in Euro 2024.
In contrast, goalkeeper Andre Onana, right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, midfielder Casemiro, and new signing Mason Mount all featured in the match, joining Diallo, who had previously spent time on loan at Rangers two years ago. Diallo was instrumental in opening the scoring for United in the 39th minute, demonstrating his skill by cutting in from the right wing and unleashing a well-placed low shot that found the back of the net past goalkeeper Jack Butland from just inside the area.
After halftime, Ten Hag opted to revamp his entire outfield lineup, making a series of substitutions to introduce fresh legs onto the pitch. Among the new entrants were Jack Fletcher, the 17-year-old son of United coach and former Scotland captain Darren Fletcher, and Will Fish, who were part of a relatively inexperienced cohort of players entering the fray to gain valuable match experience.
Hugill, the 20-year-old forward, capped off United’s victory with a decisive strike in the 70th minute, sending a powerful shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net, securing a definitive win for his team. As the team looks forward to the Premier League opener against Fulham at Old Trafford on August 16, this friendly served as an important opportunity to assess player performances and build team chemistry ahead of the competitive season.
