Although Man United still have everything to play for in this season’s Premier League, the club have been working behind the scenes to ensure the first-team have a competitive pre-season tour of the United States.
It’s long been known that up-and-coming and Hollywood film star owned Wrexham would be one of the Red Devils opponents, with the official Man United website announcing that the fixture would be taking place in San Diego on July 25.
Given that Wrexham have just earned promotion back to the football league for the first time in 15 years, and the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary has been huge in the States, with North Wales Live suggesting that makers, Disney, have made a profit of £430,000 per episode, it goes without saying that the game between the two should prove hugely popular.
On Friday, the official Man United website went one better and announced another pre-season fixture to really get US fans excited – and it’s one that’s never been played in the States before.
Long-standing English top-flight rivals, Arsenal, will play United in New York on July 22 at MetLife Stadium in what’s sure to be a game to really whet the appetite for the rest of the tour.
It will be the first match of the tour but the players are unlikely to ease into the match, given the standard of the opponent.
United’s Football Director, John Murtough, was quoted as saying on the club website that:
“Manchester United versus Arsenal is one the most famous and anticipated fixtures in the English football calendar and supporters from both clubs understand how big the rivalry between the two sides is. It’s great to be able to bring this match to New York and play in front of what I am sure will be a sell-out crowd.
“I know Erik and the squad are looking forward to starting their pre-season preparations in New York and utilising the great sporting facilities available to us in the city. The last time United played in New York was in 2011, so we are excited to be returning after such a long wait. There is no better location to kick start the club’s Tour 2023.”