United’s tough break at LA Showdown
Manchester United’s US tour got off to a tough start yesterday as they faced Arsenal, losing 2-1 and raising a few injury concerns. It was all happening in front of a 60,000-plus-fan crowd at the sparkling SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Early on, Rasmus Hojlund lit up the scoreboard, slipping the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs after a superb pass from Marcus Rashford. What a start! But the joy soon turned to worry. Before we knew it, Hojlund was limping off with what appeared to be a groin injury. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, Lille rookie Leny Yoro was also forced to leave early. Talk about bad luck!
Erik Ten Hag looked unimpressed on the sidelines and hinted that we would know more about the injury within a day. He seemed particularly cautious about young Leni. “It’s disappointing, but we have to look at it positively,” he said, hoping for the best.
As for the game itself, Arsenal found their rhythm after Gabriel Jesus equalised. There was some controversy when the offside flag was raised, but the game continued. Then young gun Gabriel Martinelli showed serious talent, cutting inside and snatching the winner against United’s makeshift defence.
Sure, United won a consolation penalty shootout after the game, but that didn’t mask the bigger problem. With Victor Lindelof out, United’s defence was patchwork at best. On the bright side, Mason Mount’s sharp movement was a silver lining, giving a glimpse of his old flame.
Across the pitch, Arsenal looked good. Despite the absence of transfer-seeking Emile Smith-Rowe, they played at a relatively brisk pace. The imminent arrival of Riccardo Calafiori has added to the buzz around the Gunners.
So while United continue to nurse their wounds and Arsenal prepare for a makeover, fans are left wondering what happens next. And as stadiums prepare to roll out their specially-grown pitches, questions about their next destination and their environmental footprint hang in the air.
