In the pre-season match, Fiorentina and Manchester United were tied 1-1.

Manchester United ended pre-season with a penalty shoot-out victory over Italian side Fiorentina on Saturday afternoon, continuing their fine Premier League campaign.

It was an eventful afternoon at Old Trafford, where Manchester United unveiled the signing of Benjamin Cesko ahead of the match to a huge standing ovation from the stadium.

Afternoon David De Gea finally got the farewell at United that he deserved, having been harshly sacked two years ago without a goodbye.

The game itself, however, was considerably less eventful, with United only able to draw 1–1 with Fiorentina in normal time.

There were some good performances during the game for United, with the Red Devils unlucky not to win the game in normal time, despite good chances.

So now that the dust has settled, who are the winners and losers in this showdown?

the winners

First, the winners.

Lenny Yoro: First among the winners we’ve listed is centre-back Lenny Yoro, who rarely put a foot wrong in the face-off, looking like the best defender on the field, so easily could he tackle everything.

Yoro was great for United against Fiorentina, running the show defensively, but also showing his ability to carry the ball into midfield and receive passes. The Frenchman has become very comfortable and complete over the last 12 months.

Now, it looks like Yoro will be the generational defender he was called to be, he just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing. Yoro is the winner here as he wasn’t a guaranteed starter last season, this season he’s one of the first names on the timesheet.

Kobi Mainu:

Yoroni is also joined by his good friend Kobi Mainu in the list of winners, with the young midfielder only getting a cameo role, but he took the opportunity to impress with both hands.

Mainu was excellent on the ball against Fiorentina, providing more than Casemiro in deep midfield positions as he escaped pressure by carrying the ball and receiving forward passes.

Mainu is a winner as this definitely showed Amorim that he needs to find a way to play against Mainu, as his quality in midfield is too good and unique to play in this team. His involvement immediately improved his teammates as well, the statement said.

David De Gea: The eventual winner of the game was Fiorentina goalkeeper David De Gea, as the Spain international finally got the applause and respect from the supporters he deserved when he departed in 2023.

It meant a lot to De Gea, as Old Trafford more than once erupted into a standing ovation for the club legend who made 545 appearances for the Red Devils.

De Gea is also a winner as his performance was very good, he made a handful of saves to keep out Harry Maguire and Matthews Cunha in particular. The goalkeeper deserved his welcome on Saturday and he will surely be pleased.

Losers

Now on to the losers.

Rasmus Hojlund: No player felt more defeated after this game than Rasmus Hojlund, as the Dane saw his United career come to a sad conclusion.

Hojlund was a useless substitute to play the second game, as Amorim opted to start Mason Mount up top instead. The most egregious thing was that after the game, Amorim complained about not having a striker, while the Dane sat on the bench.

Cesc Fabregas is now the official, there is no place for Hojlund, no matter how tough he is, he has been a number nine for two years and has not earned a third. This game was a clear sign that he has no future at the club.

Casemiro:

Joining Håland on the list of losers is experienced midfield general Casemiro, who looked a little disappointing at times. Despite winning the ball on a handful of occasions, the game was moving too fast for the Brazilian.

Casemiro’s mind is still telling him to take up full defensive positions, but his legs won’t get him there quickly enough, leading to a real lack of movement and intensity from the midfielder.

United need a new defensive midfielder, with Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte nowhere near enough now. This game was a sign that we can’t start Casemiro against Arsenal, or the danger could pass completely.