Manchester United held by PSG: Amad shines, Maguire and Heaven struggle

Manchester United played out a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in a pre-season friendly in Gothenburg. It was a difficult start for Michael Carrick’s side, who conceded in the second minute through an Ibrahim Mbaye strike. The evening saw further frustration as Mason Mount was forced off due to an apparent injury just 20 minutes into the game.

United managed to level the scores in the 32nd minute thanks to persistent work from Amad, who set up Bryan Mbeumo for a clinical finish. Following the break, goalkeeper Tom Heaton also suffered an injury, necessitating a change for academy graduate Dermot Mee.

The match marked the long-awaited debut for Youri Tielemans, who arrived from Aston Villa in July. Coming on for the final 30 minutes, the Belgian midfielder showed composure under pressure and played a clever pass to Bruno Fernandes, providing a glimpse of the creative edge he brings to the midfield.

Defensively, however, there were concerns. The centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven looked uncomfortable at times when playing out from the back against PSG’s intense high press. With pre-season drawing to a close, Carrick faces a race against time to sharpen the team's defensive buildup before the Premier League opener against Hull City on August 22.