The final friendly matches were played out yesterday and tonight with Villa stuttering at Walsall, while tonight, United split their squad to visit Dunfermline and Glentoran without Carlos Tevez but with Paul Scholes. Get the teams, scorers and all the details here…
Walsall 1 Aston Villa 1
Villa failed to keep the 100% pre-season record after being pegged back by Walsall. Villa took the lead in the first half with a Boertien own-goal from a Stieber cross. But Walsall fired back in the 85th mintue. O’Neil rested a number of key players in preparation for the Liverpool game on Saturday.
Aston Villa Lineup: Bevan, Gardner (Lund 46), Osbourne, Cahill, Harewood, Maloney, Berger, Menessou (Moore 61), O’Halloran, Stieber, Lowry.
Dunfermline 0 Man United 4
Paul Scholes made a surprise return to the United liineup as they strolled to victory against Dunfermline. A brace from Rooney and further goals from Eagles and Giggs were enough to win the game for United. Eagles got the first from a Giggs pass before Rooney expertly set up Giggs for the second. Rooney then scored a third from the spot after Hargreaves was broght down by the Dunfermline keeper. The game was then wrapped up by Rooney as he latched on to a classy Scholes through-ball. Scholes completed the match and must therefore have put himself in the reckoning for a starting role for United as they face Reading at the weekend.
Man United Lineup: Kuszczak; Bardsley, Silvestre, Brown, Pique, Eagles, Fletcher, Scholes, Rooney, Hargreaves, Giggs.
Glentoran 0 Man United 3
New signing Nani sparkled as United disposed of Glentoran. Nani grabbed final goal in a 3-0 win with Fraizer Campbell and Patrice Evra also registering. Campbell got the first after good work by young Lee Martin then Evra cracked the second, bombing forward from left-back. Nani then capped his performance by powering home a third goal into the top corner of the Glentoran net. He will be now pushing for a start against Reading at the weekend. Fellow new signing, Anderson, also caught the eye playing just off the front man.
Man United Lineup: Heaton, Simpson (Gibson, 61), Ferdinand, Vidic (Lea, 69), Evra; Martin, Carrick, O’Shea, Nani; Anderson, Campbell (Dong, 61).