Manchester United, Leeds United and Fulham were all in pre-season friendly action on Wednesday.
The first two met at Dublin’s Croke Park, while Fulham were in action in Málaga.
And here are our Scout Notes for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers…
READ MORE: FPL 2026/27 Pre-season friendlies – Minutes, Goals + Assists Tracker
MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 LEEDS UNITED (5-4 on penalties)
- Goals: Zirkzee | Aaronson
- Assists: Mbeumo | James
Manchester United XI: Lammens (Mee 60′); Dalot (Mazraoui 60′), Yoro, Heaven (Armer HT), Amass (Shaw 60′); T Fletcher (Tielemans 60′), Andrey Santos (Collyer HT); Amad (J Fletcher 60′), Zirkzee (Fernandes 60′), Dorgu (Thompson HT); Mbeumo (Cunha 60′)
Leeds United XI: Trafford (Cairns HT); Bornauw, Bijol (Rodon HT), Muharemovic (Cresswell HT); Bogle (Gnonto HT), Tanaka (Ampadu HT), Longstaff (Stach HT), Chadwick (Justin HT); Aaronson (Wilson HT), James (Okafor HT); Nmecha (Calvert-Lewin HT)
SCOUT NOTES
- This match saw the return of recently ill pair Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) and Senne Lammens (£5.0m).
- The Red Devils were still without Benjamin Sesko (£7.0m), Kobbie Mainoo (£5.5m), Marcus Rashford (£7.0m) and Lisandro Martinez (£5.0m). Michael Carrick says the latter three will be ready to face AC Milan in Wroclaw.
“They haven’t been out too long. You’re talking about three weeks really. But they’re in good shape, pretty much all of them, in good shape and it’s balancing the week and wanting most of the lads involved in the three games, in different ways.” – Michael Carrick on Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez
- As a precaution, Mason Mount (£5.5m) missed out with a foot problem. Also absent was Harry Maguire (£5.0m) – but don’t panic, FPL owners, this was just Carrick spreading out the pre-season minutes.
- Joshua Zirkzee (£5.5m) played, though Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) is seemingly continuing as an out-of-position forward. They combined for the opening goal, when Mbeumo sped forward and laid on a pass to the Dutchman. Having scored their previous three summer strikes, Mbeumo almost got another in the 37th minute, but hit the crossbar.
- Making his debut, James Trafford (£5.0m) saved well from both players, before making way in one of Leeds’ 10 half-time changes. On came Noah Okafor (£6.0m) for his first pre-season minutes.
- Only two individuals played more than an hour, so nobody reached their position’s defensive contribution (DefCon) threshold. But Leny Yoro (£5.0m) came close by accumulating nine actions, and Ethan Ampadu (£5.5m) reached 11 in just 45 minutes.
- Leeds equalised before the break when Dan James (£5.0m) won a loose ball and set up Brenden Aaronson‘s (£5.5m) smart, low finish.
- Like in Saturday’s win over RB Leipzig, centre-back Joe Rodon (£4.5m) kept advancing down the right-hand side. This time, he set up Harry Wilson (£6.5m) who, like James Justin (£4.5m) later, forced a good save. Rodon and new signing Tarik Muharemovic (£5.0m) keep flicking on the team’s long throws.
- As for Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m), the Portuguese playmaker had a tight goal – assisted by Luke Shaw (£4.5m) – ruled out for offside, and put a shot against the crossbar. Furthermore, Fernandes didn’t take any corners. He took the league’s sixth-most (90) last time, but may now be sharing them with Youri Tielemans (£6.0m), as well as Mbeumo. The Red Devils scored 14 times from such a situation.
- When it came to the penalty shootout, he put his penalty wide. Wilson and Justin missed for Leeds, however, giving Man United the win.
READ MORE: World Cup Fantasy winner’s ‘no Bruno’ FPL 2026/27 team reveal
- There was no goal for Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m), having netted three in his other two outings.
Málaga 2-2 FULHAM
- Goals: Sessegnon, Iwobi
- Assists: Castagne (x2)
Fulham XI: Leno; Castagne (Tete 74′), Andersen (Cuenca 74′), Bassey, Sessegnon (Robinson 61′); Berge (Reed 74′), Smith Rowe (Palacios 61′); Bobb (Zepa 79′), Iwobi (King 61′), Kevin (Charles 61′); Garcia (Muniz 74′)
SCOUT NOTES
- Alvaro Arbeloa named a strong Fulham XI, although we know that Joachim Andersen (£5.0m) is suspended for Gameweek 1.
- The early run of facing Chelsea, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Man United isn’t attracting much FPL interest, but Oscar Bobb (£5.5m) looks a constant tease on the wing. He assisted in the last match, and a dummy here allowed Timothy Castagne (£4.5m) to cross for Ryan Sessegnon‘s (£4.5m) back-post header. That’s the left-back’s second pre-season goal, making it hard to say who’ll start between him and Antonee Robinson (£4.5m).
READ MORE: Does pre-season form count for anything?
- Málaga quickly equalised when a shot squeezed through the disappointed Bernd Leno (£4.5m) but Fulham retook the lead when Bobb spotted Castagne’s underlap, assisting an easy Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) tap-in.
- £30 million signing Shea Charles (£5.0m) made a half-hour appearance in central midfield, while fellow substitute Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m) went close. Centre-back Calvin Bassey (£4.5m) lasted the whole match and reached 12 DefCon actions.
- There was drama at the end. Málaga equalised from the penalty spot, Arbeloa received a red card for his full-time protests, and Fulham players and staff headed down the tunnel, believing the match was over. However, their hosts expected a subsequent shootout to decide the Costa del Sol Trophy winner; Fulham say that this wasn’t agreed beforehand. Eneko Jauregi therefore put a spot-kick into the empty net and celebrated with teammates. Not that this incident is FPL-relevant, mind – just fun.
