Manchester United Draws 0-0 in Pre-season Opener Against Leeds United

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Manchester United opened its pre-season campaign with a goalless draw against Leeds United on Saturday. The match offered little excitement but was an opportunity for several players to gain match fitness ahead of their upcoming U.S. tour.

Head coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged the lack of connection between debutant Matheus Cunha and club captain Bruno Fernandes as an area for improvement. Cunha, who joined the club for £62.5 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers, did not record a shot or create a goal opportunity during his 45 minutes on the field.

“Of course, you can see that the connection between him and Bruno is still not there,” Amorim said post-match. “But it is going to be a good connection because you can put a player like Kobbie Mainoo or Mason Mount there. We need to increase our quality in the final third.”

Amorim emphasized the importance of building relationships within the squad: “We need to create that bond between everybody [on the United States tour] — not just between the players but the staff. All the changes are stopping. We have to leave that as a group.”

Looking ahead, Cunha is expected to continue his development as United prepares to face West Ham United, Bournemouth, and Everton in the U.S. next week. In addition to Cunha, Diego León, another new signing, made his debut and impressed with his energy and physicality. Amorim noted, “He’s powerful. He’s going to be a very good player.”

As Manchester United gears up for its tour, the squad will look to address the challenges of pace and connectivity on the field. Amorim remains hopeful that the players will improve as they gain more experience together.