Man United beat Leeds on penalties: What next for Zirkzee? How did Trafford do? Where was Rashford?

Manchester United beat Leeds United on penalties in the first club football match ever played at Croke Park, Dublin.

Croke Park is the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the governing body for Irish national sports Gaelic football and hurling. Up until 2005, the GAA did not allow rugby union or football to be played on its grounds across Ireland, with the first games at Croke Park coming in 2007. This game was the first club football match to be played at the venue.

Man United took the lead with an excellent counterattacking move with Bryan Mbeumo eventually finding Joshua Zirkzee to slot in from just inside the box.

James Trafford, signed from Manchester City, played the first half for Leeds and made some good saves, the best turning an Mbeumo shot round the post before his new team equalised when Dan James robbed Tyler Fletcher of the ball and played in Brenden Aaronson.

The end of the match was marked by a series of young pitch invaders. After one pair made their way onto the playing field from a corner behind Leeds United’s goal, and little to no impetus was shown by stewards to catch them, others quickly followed suit. Several ended up running onto the field of play, seeking selfies with players — mostly from the designated Manchester United end, behind Leeds’ second-half goal.

As the situation rapidly became farcical, the referee opted to blow the whistle and not play any stoppage time.

The match was finally settled by a penalty shootout with Harry Wilson being denied by Dermot Mee and Bruno Fernandes rolling wide before Noussair Mazraoui scored the decisive kick to win 5-4 after James Justin hit the bar.

The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell and Beren Cross break down the key talking points.

What next for Zirkzee?

Man United played some fluid, fast-paced football against Leeds, leaving fans online to purr about ‘Carrickball’. For the most part, passes were crisp and touches were efficient.

Central to that was Joshua Zirkzee who, positioned in the No 10 role, often sought involvement to knit moves together. He also got on the end of things.

Both cases were true in an attack early in the game when Ayden Heaven found Harry Amass, who went to Andrey Santos, who punched a pass into Zirkzee. The Dutchman gave it to Tyler Fletcher and then turned to run into the box as Fletcher sprayed a pass to Diogo Dalot on the wing. Zirkzee met Dalot’s sharp cross first time, drawing a good save down low from James Trafford.

Zirkzee would not be denied minutes later. Bryan Mbeumo did superbly to beat Jaka Bijol with a shimmy to send the ball through the Leeds player’s legs down the line, then time his pass to also nutmeg Tarik Muharemovic. The ball rolled into the box perfectly for Zirkzee to sweep home with his left foot.

Zirkzee also teed up Mbeumo with a neat pass into the area. Mbeumo tried to play in Patrick Dorgu but instead got the ball back off Bijol and hit his shot hard, only to be thwarted by Trafford.

Mbeumo breaks clear (Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Zirkzee’s status as a Man United player has been uncertain all summer, with Juventus in talks over signing him, potentially on loan with an obligation, although the matter is not advanced. This was the ideal shop window for Zirkzee to demonstrate he is worth a punt for interested clubs, although whether any meet the price Man United would want is not clear. In the case he stays, then United, on this showing, do have a player capable of quality.

The same could be said of Amass, with the club open to a sale or a loan. Unless United make a signing in that position, however, they might be suited keeping Amass around to see how he develops.

Toby Collyer also got minutes, as a second-half substitute, having been released to play for the under-21s earlier in this pre-season. Mason Mount being unavailable opened the door to his return and the expectation is he leaves, with several clubs making approaches to sign him. Collyer gave a tidy performance.

Laurie Whitwell

How was Trafford’s Leeds debut?

James Trafford made his first appearance in a Leeds United shirt during Wednesday’s clash in Dublin. The goalkeeper’s arrival at Leeds, for a club-record deal starting at £40million ($54m), was announced last week, but he did not join training until yesterday.

The 23-year-old was given the first half of the friendly by Daniel Farke, with Alex Cairns introduced between the sticks at the break. The England international made a good start to his Leeds career, given how rusty he is likely to be.

There was early confidence from Trafford as he ventured well outside his area when Leeds had possession. The goalkeeper was keen to help his defenders in possession and offered them a passing option.

Trafford made a good start for Leeds (Photo: Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

He could be seen barking instructions at his centre-backs from afar, too. There was also evidence of his distribution with one long pass arrowed at Rhys Chadwick in the opposition half and, on another occasion, a superb throw which found Brenden Aaronson on the counter beyond halfway.

There was his bread and butter, too. He made two or three smart saves, which caught the eye, but was left helpless for Joshua Zirkzee’s opener.

This was an encouraging start, with a lot more to come in far bigger games. He may hope to get the full 90 minutes in their final friendly on Saturday.

Beren Cross

What is Carrick’s 4-2-4 approach?

It all looked a bit FA Cup final 2024 for Man United as they adopted a clear 4-2-4 out of possession. Erik ten Hag employed the strategy, without playing a clear centre-forward, to beat Manchester City, and there were similarities in Michael Carrick’s approach.

Zirkzee, Mbeumo, Amad and Dorgu stretched across the pitch ready to pounce on any Leeds mistakes and it came off on a good few occasions. Amad continued his form for seizing onto any hesitation in the ball and also played in Mbeumo to turn Leeds around in a different phase of play. Mbeumo cut inside and lashed his shot against the underside of the bar.

Maintaining that intensity in the Premier League will be a different matter, and the pace slowed in the second half, even with the introduction of Mateus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes, who received a raucous reception from the Dublin crowd.

Another feature of the system was Dalot — captain for the night — stepping centrally into midfield to get on the ball, with Tyler Fletcher moving out to cover at right-back.

There were some vulnerabilities for Man United, with Leeds equalising when Tyler Fletcher tried to let the ball run across him, only for Dan James to nip in and steal possession. James fed Brenden Aaronson to finish past Senne Lammens.

The United goalkeeper, given the No 1 shirt before kick-off, made a good save from Harry Wilson in the second half.

Laurie Whitwell

Who else impressed for Leeds?

Trafford was certainly one of the Leeds players to impress in the first half but, in a heavily rotated side, it was hard for anyone else to shine in that first period. Things improved after the 10 half-time changes.

In what looked a lot closer to Leeds’ strongest XI, they found more possession and territory in the game. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as ever, expertly knitted the attack together. His link-up play with Harry Wilson, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor was one of the better points of the evening for Leeds.

For Okafor, this was a first run-out of the summer for United. He lasted the half well and showed a good turn of speed to break away from the defence at one point. There was good service to Calvert-Lewin from him, too.

Joe Rodon again played his part as the swashbuckling centre-back who galloped forward at will down the right flank. His runs are such a key facet to this system and he had more than one delivery that caused chaos in the opposition box.

Beren Cross

Why did Marcus Rashford not play?

The sellout crowd at Croke Park did not get to see the return of Marcus Rashford, who was at the stadium but omitted from the squad. Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez were also kept from featuring.

Carrick told MUTV: “Marcus, Licha, and Kobbie aren’t quite ready yet. We’re preserving them for this weekend.”

Rashford watches on in Dublin and is set to play this weekend (Photo: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

That invites the prospect of Rashford making his United comeback against Milan, managed by Ruben Amorim. Rashford chatted to Mainoo on the sidelines as the teams warmed up, and then had a conversation with Martinez.

Instead, on the left wing, Tynan Thompson got his first appearance for United. The 18-year-old, signed from Tottenham this summer, gave a good account of himself.

Mount missed the game as a precaution United said, with Harry Maguire also absent due to rotation.

Laurie Whitwell

What next for Man United?

Saturday, August 15: Milan (Away), Friendly, 3.45pm UK, 10.45am ET

What next for Leeds United?

Saturday, August 15: Augsburg (Home), Friendly, 3pm UK, 10am ET