Manchester United

United are at home in the US. One of the first European teams to seriously target the US as a market is still one of the commercial leaders as the game takes ever deeper root in North America. They’ll be playing a couple of MLS sides in this pre-season warm up before facing stiffer competition in the annual International Champions Cup, which has gained momentum over the last couple of years as the pre-season friendly tournament of choice for Europe’s top teams. Certainly since the New York Red Bulls waltzed home with the Emirates Cup that time…

And if it means more pre-season scrutiny than the average scrimmage with Molde reserves, for example, Jose Mourinho is happy enough. Chelsea and Real Madrid have also been regular visitors to the US in recent seasons, and he’s known to be very happy with the facilities and professionalism his sides have to prepare in. And the traveling hacks sent to cover those preparations seem happy enough to be in LA too.

But there’s plenty to prepare. United were consistently hard to beat last year, but consistently unable to see out wins against notionally weaker opposition. There were flickers of an effective plan B beyond Ibrahimovic, and after his injury expectations that Alvaro Morata could trigger a wholesale reinvention, but the acquisition of Romelu Lukaku looks to have put us back in the “big man” with supporting cast mode. We’ve been there before with Mourinho, of course.

But while a lot will depend on just how ready Lukaku is to take his undoubted raw talent and harness it at elite level, a lot will also depend on just who, if anyone, Mourinho gets to add as the “one or two more” players he hopes to bring in before the start of the season.

And for now at least, there’ll be a familiar look to the team. Neither Lukaku or other new signing Victor Lindelof are in the starting XI. Though in the spirit of pre-season tormenting of livebloggers, the entire team will be replaced at half-time. So maybe you’ll see them then. Just don’t expect me to tell you until minute 72.