Manchester United v Arsenal: Fighting, Martinez aggro, Glazer protests… this was no friendly

The sight of Gabriel Jesus remonstrating with Lisandro Martinez at half-time of Manchester United’s match against Arsenal told you that this friendly had been dialled up a few notches.

Martinez had sliced through Eddie Nketiah two minutes before the break, earning a yellow card, and Jesus felt compelled to pull the Argentine defender to one side before he left the pitch. The gesticulations suggested Jesus was firmly asking Martinez why he had followed through with the sliding tackle, risking injury on Nketiah, when this was supposed to be a warm-up game.

That edge, though, is exactly what Ten Hag wanted from the occasion at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium. He does not see the value in playing games at half-pace. He wants to try tactical developments that can only be truly tested when the speed is fast and collisions are real.

That could be seen in the way United pressed Arsenal high in parts, an approach that delivered a goal when Gabriel erred and Jadon Sancho robbed the ball, showing good acceleration to run ahead and finish at an angle.