Man United 2 West Ham 1: Fernandes and Cunha’s promise, Mbeumo steps up fitness, squad looks sharp - The Athletic

Manchester United began their US tour with a 2-1 victory over West Ham United at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Bruno Fernandes scored both goals for United, while Jarrod Bowen netted for West Ham. Manager Ruben Amorim expressed satisfaction with the performances of midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and striker Rasmus Hojlund.

New signing Matheus Cunha impressed, particularly in his link-up play with captain Fernandes. Forward Bryan Mbeumo was absent from the squad entirely as he works towards match fitness. Mbeumo, whose transfer from Brentford was recently finalized, had not trained on the pitch during negotiations and arrived at United having focused on gym work. Staff believe he needs to increase his sharpness, and Amorim confirmed he will also miss the upcoming friendly against Bournemouth as he is effectively two weeks behind most of the squad. The friendly against Everton in Atlanta is targeted for his return.

Amorim planned to play his starting XI for 70 minutes to build fitness before making wholesale changes. He conducted a quick post-match press conference to oversee a full training session on the pitch for the travelling players who didn't feature, including Mbeumo. Amorim participated in pre-match and half-time interviews with NBC as part of new coverage for the Premier League Summer Series, which included brief, unprecedented camera access to the dressing room.

Highlighting United's improved physicality compared to last season, the team started strongly against West Ham. They created early chances and took the lead within 10 minutes when Fernandes converted a penalty won by Ayden Heaven after West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola brought him down. Standout moments in open play included Hojlund showcasing his acceleration to beat Maximilian Kilman to a ball despite starting behind him, and then outmuscling the defender for a shot that hit the post. Patrick Dorgu also twice beat Jean-Clair Todibo for pace, winning free-kicks.