Manchester United are scheduled to play their second pre-season friendly of the summer against Rosenborg in Trondheim, Norway, on Friday. The match will take place at Lerkendal Stadion with a kick-off time of 5 p.m. BST.
The team, managed by Michael Carrick, is looking to bounce back after a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham in Finland last Saturday. That match saw a makeshift side in the first half, followed by an entirely changed lineup of academy players after the break.
Squad Updates and Young Talent
Among the players travelling with the squad is JJ Gabriel, a forward who has been called up to the senior team for the first time. Gabriel was the Under-18 Premier League player of the season last term, having been 14 when the campaign started. He will not turn 16 until October.
Gabriel’s inclusion is part of a 25-man travelling party for the friendly. His progress through the club’s youth system had led to expectations of his involvement in pre-season this summer. Should he feature in Norway, it would mark his first senior appearance for the club.
The squad also includes other notable names such as Tom Heaton, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, and Andrey Santos. However, several first-team players are still recovering from their World Cup exploits, which means an unorthodox starting lineup is anticipated for the match against Rosenborg.
Injuries have ruled out Benjamin Sesko, Karl Darlow, and Matthijs de Ligt. Additionally, Ethan Wheatley has dropped out of the squad, and there is no place for Tynan Thompson, who recently joined from Tottenham in a deal reported to be worth £8m.
He was initially called up for first-team training by Ruben Amorim and has been a regular at sessions since. Carrick has been closely monitoring United‘s academy teams. Gabriel was not involved in the defeat by Wrexham in Helsinki as he had returned to training less than a week prior.
The club has been carefully managing the young talent, with Gabriel having been invited to the directors’ box on several occasions last season and meeting Sir Alex Ferguson after a draw against West Ham in December.
Match Details and Future Fixtures
The match against Rosenborg presents a challenge for Manchester United, as the Norwegian side is currently midway through their club campaign, suggesting they are fully fit. For audiences in the United Kingdom, the match can be watched on MUTV, which requires an annual subscription fee.
Following the Rosenborg clash, Manchester United have two more matches scheduled in Scandinavia. The first is against Atlético Madrid in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday, August 1, which is officially titled the Snapdragon Cup. This will be followed by a fixture against reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg a week later.
The Red Devils will conclude their pre-season campaign with games against Leeds United in the Republic of Ireland on August 12, and against Milan in Poland three days after that.
If Gabriel features in Norway, he will be among the youngest players to play a senior game for Manchester United. The youngest player to feature in a competitive match for the club is David Gaskell, a goalkeeper who made his debut when he was 16 years and 19 days old.
Not every player in Carrick‘s squad is guaranteed to play. In the defeat by Wrexham, goalkeeper Dermot Mee, midfielder Jim Thwaites, and striker Chido Obi were not used, despite Carrick picking completely different teams for each half.
The friendly against Rosenborg is scheduled for Friday, July 24.
Source: bbc.com