Erik ten Hag, the head coach of Manchester United, was not pleased with his team’s performance against Rosenborg on Monday. The Red Devils needed goalkeeper Radek Vitek to keep the score close, and the Norwegian team also struck the woodwork four times before winning in the closing moments.

The twenty-time English champions will play Rangers on Saturday to complete their pre-season preparations before travelling to the US for their preseason tour, which includes glamorous matches against Arsenal, Real Betis, and Liverpool. 

Manchester United will then take on Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 10 before opening their new Premier League season against Fulham six days later.

Joshua Zirkzee was confirmed as the club’s first signing of the INEOS era, and he has been followed to Old Trafford by Leny Yoro, with a deal for the 18-year-old announced on Thursday night.

Manchester United finished eighth in the Premier League last season – their worst-ever display in the competition’s current format – but they qualified for the group stage of the 2024-25 Europa League courtesy of their 2-1 success over Man City in the FA Cup final at the end of May.

Ten Hag is staying, with the Dutchman seeing his contract extended until June 2026, but there is huge pressure on the 54-year-old to oversee a big improvement during the coming season.

Rangers, meanwhile, started their preparations for the 2024-25 campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Ajax last weekend, with Tom Lawrence on the scoresheet for the Scottish giants.

Philippe Clement’s side will face Man United, Birmingham City and Union Berlin in their final three friendlies of the summer before opening their 2024-25 Scottish Premiership season against Hearts on August 3.

Rangers finished second in the Scottish Premiership last term, eight points behind the champions Celtic, but they did manage to win the Scottish League Cup and were also present in the last-16 stage of the Europa League.

The Gers have been busy this summer in terms of both incomings and outgoings, with their biggest arrival proving to be Mohamed Diomande from Nordsjaelland.

Rangers have tackled Manchester United on four previous occasions in competitive matches, with all of those fixtures taking place in the Champions League, and the English giants have triumphed three times, including a 1-0 success when the pair last locked horns in November 2010.

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