What We Learned From Man Utd's Win Over West Ham

Bruno Fernandes underlined his value to Manchester United by scoring doubly arsenic they opened their US pre-season circuit pinch a 2-1 triumph complete West Ham astatine nan MetLife Stadium successful New Jersey.

United person spent much than £120m connected attacking players this summertime successful Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo but it was their skipper who proved nan difference, punishing 2 errors by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Fernandes scored a fifth-minute punishment and added his 2nd conscionable aft half-time from extracurricular nan box.

Jarrod Bowen pulled 1 backmost successful nan 63rd infinitesimal and United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir past made an fantabulous prevention to contradict nan West Ham skipper successful wounded clip but Ruben Amorim's broadside secured triumph successful their opening lucifer of nan four-team Premier League Summer Series.

Just 3 weeks earlier nan Premier League action starts, what other did we learn?

On Friday, Amorim outlined his scheme to driblet Fernandes deeper this play alternatively than push him into 1 of nan 2 number 10 roles important to his system.

Maybe we should study not to salary excessively overmuch attraction to nan caput coach, who picked Fernandes arsenic nan right-sided number 10 alongside Cunha, arsenic £65m caller presence Bryan Mbeumo is not deemed fresh capable to beryllium progressive conscionable yet.

It meant location was a familiarity astir nan measurement Fernandes drifted into abstraction successful hunt of nan shot and erstwhile he sewage it, mostly tried thing inventive.

But connected different of those nights erstwhile United created a number of chances, it was Fernandes who recovered nan net, scoring from nan punishment spot aft Areola had fouled Ayden Heaven.

His 2nd came from different Areola mistake, erstwhile nan keeper's mediocre walk was pounced connected by Kobbie Mainoo. He recovered Fernandes, who lifted a changeable into nan acold corner.

Fernandes brought much to nan crippled than his goals. He had played successful Rasmus Hojlund successful nan first minute, pinch nan Denmark striker bursting connected to nan ball, showing bully spot arsenic he went enarthrosis to enarthrosis pinch Hammers defender Max Killman earlier rattling nan station pinch his shot.

It was an wide capacity that will time off fans thankful that nan Portugal midfielder, nan club's subordinate of nan year, rejected a immense offer from nan Saudi Pro-League nine early successful nan summer.

After nan match, Amorin praised Fernandes for being a "leader, not conscionable connected nan field, but besides disconnected it" and said nan 30-year-old "will person much thief this season".

Fernandes scored 19 goals and registered 19 assists successful 57 games past play arsenic United vanished 15th successful nan convention and reached nan Europa League final.

When asked astir Fernandes' value to nan team, Amorim said: "It was truthful clear past season, you tin spot it pinch nan goals and assists. But it's not conscionable that.

"I deliberation now he has much players, I feel, to thief him to lead nan group, and that is simply a bully thing.

"Sometimes, nan problem is he gets disappointment and loses a small spot of attraction of his job. Sometimes, he wants to thief nan teammates truthful much, it is not nan champion point to do. They person to do their job, and Bruno has, for example, to hold for nan ball."

He added: "Last year, I felt sometimes I pushed him backmost to person much possession successful nan build-up, and we miss Bruno adjacent nan box.

"With different characteristics from Bryan (Mbeumo) and Matheus Cunha - and I really for illustration Kobbie Mainoo's crippled - he (Fernandes) will person much thief this season."

Amorim was keen to play down suggestions afterwards that his starting line-up - who were each replaced pinch nan objection of goalkeeper Bayindir aft 65 minutes - will beryllium nan 11 to commencement against Arsenal astatine Old Trafford successful nan Premier League opener connected 17 August.

But it does consciousness arsenic if Amorim wants mobile, speedy players to capable nan extracurricular protect slots. De Ligt occupied nan mediate berth for nan first half and beyond. Maguire past replaced him.

Neither was outstanding - but neither made immoderate important errors. The truth De Ligt started suggests that he is conscionable up astatine nan infinitesimal if it is 1 from 2 pinch Maguire.

West Ham head Graham Potter felt his broadside started each half poorly earlier increasing into it.

They beryllium a immense magnitude to Bowen. His reference of nan crippled and expertise to spot an opening is impressive.

But his extremity besides exposed a deficiency of connection wrong nan Manchester United ranks.

As Tomas Soucek charged heavy into their half, left-sided cardinal defender Heaven was excessively adjacent to De Ligt successful nan protect line, wing-back Patrick Dorgu was excessively acold guardant and neither Mainoo nor Toby Collyer addressed nan increasing threat from midfield.

It meant Bowen was capable to propulsion wide, return Soucek's walk and drill a changeable crossed Bayindir into nan net.

"A really bully goal," was really Potter described it. Amorim will astir apt deliberation it should person been stopped. Communication is key.

United now recreation to Chicago to look Bournemouth connected Thursday (02:30 BST) astatine Soldier Field, wherever Mbeumo make his debut.

In Saturday's earlier Summer Series game, besides astatine nan MetLife, Bournemouth hit Everton 3-0.

Philip Billing, Dango Ouattara and Daniel Adu-Adjei sealed triumph for Andoni Iraola's side.