No victor no vanquished: Fringe and youth stars draw with Man U
Ralf Rangnick changed the whole starting XI from Sunday’s win over Crystal Palace as Manchester United drew 1-1 against Young Boys.
Having started the continental campaign with a shock late loss in Switzerland, recently-appointed interim boss Rangnick was able to make 11 changes with top spot in Group F already assured.
Mason Greenwood underlined his credentials with an excellent volleyed opener that Fabian Rieder cancelled out superbly late in the first half, with Wednesday’s Old Trafford dead rubber ending in a 1-1 draw.
How much Rangnick will glean from his second match in charge is unclear given the circumstances, but at least he got a first-hand glimpse of the undoubted quality possessed by United’s homegrown forward.
Amad Diallo and Anthony Elanga, both 19, also showed flashes of quality against David Wagner’s visitors, who drew level when Rieder capitalised on sloppy United play to score an excellent 20-yard effort.
The second half had distinct friendly vibes about it and lacked the control Rangnick has repeatedly expressed his desire for, but it was at least memorable for three debutants.
Charlie Savage son of Robbie and Zidane Iqbal came on after 35-year-old Tom Heaton, who made his senior debut for the club nearly two decades after first joining them.
There was an impressive crowd given the weather, group situation and fixture schedule, with Heaton the senior member of a reduced seven-man bench comprised entirely of academy products.
Nemanja Matic skippered the totally-rotated side as rain poured at Old Trafford, where the Red Devils started on the front foot.
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Juan Mata’s clipped ball put Elanga and Diallo through early on, only for the pair to get tangled before the latter’s shot was saved from a difficult angle.
Greenwood was another part of United’s exciting attacking unit and showed Rangnick his talent with an exceptional finish just nine minutes into the match.
Luke Shaw, making his return from a head injury, overlapped down the left and sent over a cross met by an acrobatic volley into the bottom left-hand corner.