Yesterday Manchester United picked up a very creditable 3-1 victory over Champions League holders Barcelona. Admittedly, Neymar and Messi's absence blunts the significance of the result, but this was still a surprisingly competitive affair — with Luis van Gall rolling out his strongest XI and Luis Suarez covering every blade of grass in his trademark tenacious style. Read our top 3 talking points from the match played out in the scorching heat of California.
1) DARMIAN DOMINATES VALENCIA Van Gaal has gone out of his way to stress that new signing Matteo Darmian is not his first choice for the right back position. That seems like a classic case of the Dutchman trying to wheedle out any complaceny from the 25-year-old. On paper Darmian should have nothing to fear from his competition for the role - Antonio Valencia. Darmian is a much more natural right-back who can blend defensive and attacking duties with much greater ease than the Ecuadorian.
That much was clear here. Whilst the Italian international blunted the attack of Pedro and kept Jordie Alba back peddling on United attacks, Valencia got schooled by Rakitic and offered nothing notable in the final third. It was a great audition for the Italian — it gave further credence to the belief of many United fans that they now have their finest right back since the departure of club legend Gary Neville.
The former Torino player does need to throw a touch more caution to the wind however — on occasion his relentless runs forward left Blind and Jones with a little more space on their right flank than was comfortable. No doubt, van Gaal will drum in the required discipline very quickly. With that slight weakness remedied and the likely need to fill in for the wantaway Angel Di Maria, it's incredibly hard to see Valencia maintaining the right back role this season.
2) JANUZAJ THE JOKER IN THE PACK?
The very fact that Januzaj is on tour with Manchester United is a surprise within itself. He managed just 8 starts and 0 goals last season under van Gaal — the momentum and high expectation of greatness he built up under David Moyes had totally dissipated by the end of the campaign. Both Everton and Sunderland were sniffing around for a loan deal. Yet, there appears to be an indication of a strong reversal of fortunes this season.
After a flurry of substitutions on the hour mark, Januzaj, usually unleashed on the wings, was given a surprise spot up front. Despite his very slight physique, he caused Barca's backline plenty of problems — pulling them from pillar to post with great movement and linking up with the midfield very neatly on several occasions. The Belgium international has spent several weeks in 40c heat of Dubai to hone his fitness and that was readily apparent in his unfaltering energy levels in the baking Californian sunshine.
In short, he looked like a seasoned striker, and that impression was cemented in the dying minutes of the game when he foxed Marc Bartra with an exquisite turn before calmly slotting the ball into the corner of the net. Van Gaal has famously suggested that a 'surprise' figure will be able to add greater strength in depth to United's thread-bare front line. Forget Zlatan Ibrahimovich, maybe, just maybe, van Gaal fancies Januzaj as a highly valuable makeshift striker.
3) INSATIABLE SUAREZ
Pre-season is a chance for the majority players to dust off the cob-webs and slowly easy themselves into a long hard season. It's a time to take it easy to build up fitness, avoid injury and respect the more cordial environment of on tour friendlies. Luis Suarez is quite clearly not in that majority! It was astonishing to witness his commitment to the cause yesterday - as well as hitting the post twice, one from a a very cute free-kick around the wall, the Uruguayan ran after every ball in his general vicinity, whether they were a lost cause or not. We're not just talking about the final third either — he parachuted himself into a bundle of 50/50 challenges and was constantly in the referees ear. His incessant will to win, so often the source of his downfall, was channelled brilliantly here.
It genuinely looked like he had started where he had finished last season, and perhaps his freshness comes from having a shortened season last year courtesy of his biting ban. It was telling that Barcelona could maintain such attacking menace despite the absence of Messi and Neymar. Whilst those three are phenomenal together, it's clear to see that Suarez would easily have the trust of his teammates and the skill at his disposal to lead Barca to another trophy-filled season with or without them.
