Ole: It's a big week ahead

Manchester United beat Everton 4-0 in the final pre-season game of the summer, with goals from Mason Greenwood, Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.

After the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke to MUTV about his satisfaction with the performance and ever improving fitness levels of the players ahead of our first game of the season next weekend against Leeds.

There were some good goals, that’s the positive. We looked OK fitness wise. But of course, Leeds is a different kettle of fish with the way they play. Every team in the league throws you a different challenge. Today was about intensity and of course going home with four goals tonight gives us lots of confidence.

No one is 100% at the maximum level. For some of them, it was the first time they’ve played for three, four or five weeks. They’ll feel better after this one. They’ll have a good training week and surely we’ll be ready for Saturday. The ones who’ve done the pre-season have done really well, the mood is good and this game helps.

It’s a big week ahead. There will be some words specific to Leeds but we need some more fitness. These first three games before the international break is still a part of pre-season but we need to get more points than last season.

New signings Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane are yet to join up with the squad yet, following an extended holiday due to the Euros and and Varane requiring to isolate. The Frenchman did watch the Everton game on telly this afternoon though, which he shared on social media.

Solskjaer is looking forward to getting the new players in to training with the rest of the squad.

Hopefully we’ll get Raphael and Jadon in with the group. Of course it’s important when you’ve signed two big players that we get them in.

Fernandes scored a brilliant freekick, following the fans chanting his name to urge him to be the one to take it, and Solskjaer reflected on how little contact the Portuguese player has had with the fans because of covid.

It’s different with fans, it’s so different. They’ve not really been in the stadium since he [Bruno] came. He’s not had the chance to feel the fans’ love and that’s what they will give him, and what he will give them, so it seems like a good relationship.