"Boo, we want Jonny Evans," "We don't have a striker" - Fans react as Manchester United name XI to face Lyon in pre-season friendly

Manchester United have named their starting XI for their pre-season friendly against Lyon, scheduled to be held on July 19.

Of the notable names included, there is new boy Mason Mount starting in midfield. Fans have taken to Twitter to react to the lineup.

Some have complained about United not starting with Jonny Evans, who was resigned as a Red Devil earlier this week. Some fans have also noticed that United have fielded an XI without a recognized striker.

Aaron Wan Bissaka is playing at right-back with Lisandro Martinez occupying the left-centre back position. Raphael Varane is captaining the side at right-centre back with 23-year-old Matej Kovar playing in goal. Youngster Alvaro Fernandez is playing at left back.

In midfield, the only recognized name is that of Mason Mount. He is expected to play alongside 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo.

United have gone with four wingers/attacking midfielders for the remaining slots. Antony, Jadon Sancho, Amad Diallo, and Hannibal Mejbri are all set to play in attack for the Red Devils.

Given their lack of options upfront, fans have lamented that United still need a striker as well. Here are some of the best Twitter reactions:

Manchester United have made some impressive moves this summer. They signed Mason Mount from Chelsea for a fee of £60 million (including add-ons).

The Red Devils have also extended the contract of Marcus Rashford, who is now expected to stay at the club till 2028. They have officially parted ways with David De Gea, who despite winning the Golden Glove in the Premier League last season, was shaky when building from the back. United are reportedly close to sealing a deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Manchester United need a new striker

The Red Devils parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo last December. It left them with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as the remaining options to play upfront.

The club loaned in Wout Weghorst for the remainder of the season, with the player now back at his parent club. Erik ten Hag will need a new striker going into the new season.

Martial is injury-prone and lacks quality to lead a team of Manchester United's magnitude. Meanwhile, Rashford is best optimized when asked to operate from the left wing.

The Red Devils have been linked with various names like Lautaro Martinez, Dusan Vlahovic and Harry Kane throughout the summer, but a deal has not been finalized yet.

About the author

Diptanil is a European football journalist and sports editor at Sportskeeda. He completed his Master’s in Sports Management from Coventry University and has a total work experience of 7 years. A true expert of the beautiful game, Diptanil also studies the sport from the data analytics perspective.

Diptanil focuses on in-depth research, objective writing, and cultural sensitivity when creating content, and always strives to give his readers something new to take away from each of his articles. His ability to streamline information and let it reach a natural conclusion as opposed to telling a story with a pre-fixed narrative sets him apart from other journalists.

He became a fan of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea after their record-breaking 2004-05 season and their 2008-09 Champions League semifinal defeat was a bittersweet learning experience for him. Diptanil’s favorite player is Frank Lampard who is known for his hard work and dedication as a football professional. He loves how his favorite manager Carlo Ancelotti strikes a fine balance in keeping the game both player-oriented and data-driven.

Outside of Europe's top five leagues, Diptanil follows Liga Portugal, the Indian Super League, and Saudi Pro League. His other interests include doing charity work, watching period dramas, and world politics.

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