Romelu Lukaku fails to find net on Manchester United debut as Marcus Rashford stars against LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5: The £75m signing from Everton appeared as a second-half substitute but did not open his United account
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Your support makes all the difference.If the main reservation over Romelu Lukaku’s move to Manchester United holds a grain of truth, then he should by rights have netted a hatful against LA Galaxy.
The doubts surrounding Lukaku after his £75million move from Everton have stemmed from his tendency to profit from the shortcomings of the Premier League’s lesser lights, rather than the heavyweights; 21 of his 25 top flight goals last season coming against the bottom 13.
Opposition doesn’t come much ‘lesser’ than LA Galaxy, on this evidence.
However, after seeing a one-on-one saved early in the second half, Lukaku was unable to open his United account in a 5-2 stroll. Instead, it was left to Marcus Rashford to catch the eye with a brace, which could - and probably should - have seen him walk off with the match-ball.
David Beckham’s presence in the Stub Hub Center stands may have been a reminder of bygone glories, but Galaxy offered little resistance to United. This was as feeble as pre-season tests come.
That adage about only playing what’s in front of you still holds some truth though and Lukaku offered glimpses over why Mourinho was so keen to pip his former club to his ex-Chelsea charge.
Lukaku doesn’t have the finesse or unbridled arrogance of predecessor Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he’s a much more mobile option in leading the line than the injured Swede. The pace when he builds up a head of steam instantly turns defence into attack and may cure United of some of the stodgy approach play which hampered them too frequently last season.
Ashley Cole’s attempts to halt Lukaku as he cut inside off the right early in the second half merely resulted in the former England international bouncing off the Belgian’s bulk. That was a sign of things to come.
All eyes may have been on Lukaku after finalising his move to Old Trafford a week ago, yet there was another big-money acquisition on show too after £30m Victor Lindelof made his maiden appearance for Mourinho’s side.
After being introduced as one of 11 changes at the interval, Lindelof’s principal duties were limited to playing out from the back for 30 minutes, before there were question marks over the centre-half for Galaxy’s late two consolations.
Although no-one tracked Giovani dos Santos’ bursting run, a slight side-step from the ex-Spurs flop saw Lindelof lose his balance, before the ball was planted in the far corner.
In the dying seconds, the static Lindelof was then beaten in the air by Dave Romney, before dos Santos deflected the ball in.
Of course, fatigue may have played a part in both goals after United have faced regular double sessions in heat which has daily exceeded 30 degrees. Legs aren’t going to be any fresher on Monday when they face Real Salt Lake at 4,000ft above sea level.
What will prove to be intriguing in Utah is whether Mourinho persists with a 3-5-2.
There were occasions when United experimented with three at the back last season, most notably during the Europa League, but Mourinho confirmed prior to kick-off that he sees it as a sporadic solution this time around.
“It’s not going to be our main system, we are always a team that normally plays four at the back, but during the season we maybe need to do it,” he said.
The set-up had some success, particularly in the first half, when number 10 Juan Mata was able to prey on the huge amount of space in front of the Galaxy back four. Complemented by the energy of wing-backs Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard, a youthful Galaxy first half line-up weren’t able to offer any resistance. Marouane Fellaini capitalised on one superb Lingard run to put United 3-0 up before the interval.
Prior to that, the free-running Rashford had simply concentrated on loitering on the shoulder of Galaxy’s centre-halves and profited handsomely. They couldn’t contain the 19-year-old as he repeatedly beat the offside trap to raking balls in behind.
The complete change of personnel at the interval didn’t stem the tide either, with Matteo Darmian and Timothy Fosu-Mensah able to abandon all defensive duties and attack the flanks. The pattern merely continued of the wing-backs regularly hitting the by-line and United profiting on Galaxy clangers.
An awful giveaway in midfield saw Anthony Martial slide the ball through for Henrikh Mkhitaryan for number four, and then the former got on the scoresheet himself when he tucked away Fosu-Mensah’s pull-back.
The goal which Lukaku coveted eluded him after that. Such was the ease of United’s victory though, it would hardly have held enormous significance.
LA Galaxy, first half: Kempin, Smith, Steres, Arellano, Diallo, Garcia, Villarreal, Jamieson IV, Mendiola, Lassiter, McInerney
Second half: Rowe, Van Aanholt, Romney, Van Damme, Cole, Pedro, Garcia (Jones 60), Lassiter (Alessandrini 60), dos Santos, Boateng, McBean.
Manchester United, first half: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Mata, Rashford.
Second half: J Pereira, Darmian, Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Fosu-Mensah (Mitchell 85), A Pereira, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Lukaku.
Attendance: 25,667
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