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Manchester United had a mixed campaign last term. On the one hand, they finished the season in second place in the Premier League, which can be considered progress from their third-place finish the season before.
However, their capitulating demotion from the UEFA Champions League and subsequent failure to win the Europa League represented major low points.
Nevertheless, there were enough positive signs to give fans hope for the upcoming campaign. The performances of players like Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw also gave room for optimism.
Some of the players have begun training at the Carrington ground to get back in shape for pre-season in light of the resumption of competitive football next month.
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The club announced five pre-season fixtures lined up across three weeks, with a 2-1 victory over Derby County having already been recorded.
Several first-team players at Manchester United progressed to the latter stages of the European Championship with their nations and have, in turn, been given extended breaks.
In light of this, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been training with a squad composed mainly of the Under-23 side. However, a number of senior players, including Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, have already begun training.
Pre-season is primarily made up of exhibition games to get the players back in shape for the grueling season ahead. However, it also offers some players on the fringes of the squad the chance to show their worth in the absence of more established regulars.
A lot of Manchester United players have a lot to prove in pre-season and are likely to give their all to make a positive impression on Solskjaer.
Here are five Manchester United players to watch in pre-season.
#5 Axel Tuanzebe
Axel Tuanzebe came through the Manchester United academy and made his first-team debut in 2015. Since then, he has been on the peripheries of the first team and underwent two separate loan spells with Aston Villa.
Harry Maguire is Manchester United's captain and bonafide defensive leader. However, the spot opposite him in defense has been rotated between several players, including Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly.
The absence of both men gives Axel Tuanzebe a window of opportunity to make a positive impression in pre-season. Failure to do so could prompt another loan spell or direct sale, especially with the proposed impending arrival of Raphael Varane.
#4 Facundo Pellistri
Facundo Pellistri made a name for himself in his native Uruguay before joining Manchester United in the summer of 2020.
A loan spell to Alaves was completed in January 2021 to allow the teenager to get attuned to the demands of senior football.
This pre-season offers Manchester United fans an opportunity to get an up-close glimpse of the highly-rated teenager.
A positive pre-season performance could go a long way in determining whether Pellistri spends this season with the senior Manchester United squad or continues his development elsewhere.
On that note, he has started positively by scoring the match-winner against Derby County.
#3 Mason Greenwood
Mason Greenwood was one of the revelations of the 2019-20 season, and it was expected that he would build on this to become a mainstay in the team.
However, the England international had a mixed campaign last term and lacked the confidence he exhibited in his breakout season.
He underwent different goal droughts, and his season ended on a sour note when an injury forced him to miss the European Championship with England.
Greenwood will be hoping to put all that behind him, and the ongoing pre-season campaign offers him an excellent opportunity at a clean slate.
The absence of several first-team stars means that the 19-year-old finds himself as one of the more experienced players in the training camp, despite still being a teenager himself.
#2 Shola Shoretire
Shola Shoretire made history for Manchester United when he became the youngest player to make an appearance in a European competition for the club.
He was just 17 years and 23 days old when he replaced Mason Greenwood in the Europa League clash with Real Sociedad, breaking Norman Whiteside's former record by 108 days.
Big things are expected of the 17-year-old, and an impressive pre-season display could speed-track his promotion to the first team.
Manchester United have a long and proud history of giving opportunities to young players. Whether Shola Shoretire can join an illustrious list that includes Ryan Giggs, Duncan Edwards, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford remains to be seen.
#1 Jesse Lingard
Jesse Lingard is arguably the Manchester United player with the most to prove, and this makes him the player to watch out for the most.
The 28-year-old came through the Manchester United academy. He was initially a mainstay in the first team before paying the price for his inconsistencies with extended spells out of the squad.
By the end of the 2019-20 season and the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Lingard was something of a forgotten man at Old Trafford and was left out of several matchday squads.
A loan transfer to West Ham was agreed in January 2021, and the 28-year-old instantly adapted to his new environment like a fish to water. A remarkable turnaround saw him contribute nine goals and four assists from his first 10 Premier League games for the Hammers.
His form saw him named the Premier League Player of the Month in April and also earned him a recall to the international scene after an absence of almost two years.
Jesse Lingard remains determined to break into Manchester United's starting lineup, and this will serve as motivation for him to give his all during pre-season.
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