Manchester United: Things to look for in the preseason tour

The wing dilemma

Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young have been under United’s payroll before Ferguson’s retirement, but United remarkably haven’t found their replacements.

To be fair, both of them have been persistent defenders, but their attacking contribution has been hit-and-miss. Their incapacity of assisting with the buildup has made United’s wing play combination too foreseeable, and their deliveries are as inconsistent as their career at United.

Missing out on Ivan Perisic last summer was a blow. United has a lot of aerial threat options in the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini to bombard their opponents, but the lack of a consistent crosser has hampered its game plan. United signed Dalot in the summer but he is more likely to be the long-term project.

Valencia will be the only regular starter to play at the wide position, and his performance will greatly affect United’s search for a crosser in its effort to close the gap with Manchester City.

Who will be David de Gea’s primary backup

Lee Grant’s signing makes United have the deepest talent between the posts. The 35-year-old has made his mark already at Old Trafford after he single-handedly denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co. two years ago while playing for Stoke. He was voted the club’s player of the year that season, a demonstration of his quality.

With Joel Pereira seeking a season-long loan move, Grant and the incumbent backup Sergio Romero will compete for a backup position. De Gea’s absence from the tour will make this competition more exciting as the two will square off head-to-head.

The loser probably won’t see the field for the entire season. Grant, considering his age, can afford the third-string status, but Romero will look for a move away from Old Trafford if he finds himself in that situation. In either case, it’s a win-win. If Grant takes the backup role, it means he defeats a player who started in a World Cup final. If Romero wins, he will face tougher competition than Pereira, Dean Henderson, Kieran O’Hara and Sam Johnstone did to retain his backup role.