Manchester United sweep aside Rosenborg to start European tour

Manchester United defeated Rosenborg 5-0 in Trondheim on Friday to secure their first pre-season win. The match marks the beginning of a tour that will take the English club through four more European cities before the domestic season begins.

United will face Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on August 1, followed by a match against PSG in Gothenburg on August 8. The schedule continues in Dublin against Leeds on August 12 and concludes in Wroclaw with a game against AC Milan on August 15.

Lacey opened the scoring for United in the 31st minute with a fine curling finish. Zirkzee doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a solo goal. United also hit the woodwork twice, with Patrick Dorgu striking the post in the 28th minute and Yoro heading against the crossbar from a free-kick in the 35th minute.

For the hosts, Ceide hit the post in the 66th minute and Hedman missed the target from the edge of the area in the 75th minute. By that point, Carrick had already made wholesale changes in the 60th minute, introducing a wave of academy players.

The youngsters capitalized on the two-goal cushion to score three times in the final half-hour. Devaney scored from a corner in the 63rd minute, Amass tapped in after good work from Kamason in the 72nd minute, and Williams finished another Kamason cross in the 84th minute.

Fifteen-year-old Gabriel was named to the bench but did not feature. Jim Thwaites was the only other outfield player who remained unused for the visitors.

"Some players need more minutes than others as they go and managing some players a little more than others," Carrick told MUTV. "It's never going to be perfect, we are two weeks in. I thought there were a lot of good things. Some of the goals were fantastic. Just as pleasing to keep a clean sheet."

United will open their Premier League campaign against Hull City on August 22. Carrick still has more players returning from the World Cup break to integrate into the squad.