After a 2-0 victory on the final day of the season against Aston Villa, the United squad had a quick turnaround as they jetted off to Asia to begin a post-season tour whilst many other sides use the end of the campaign to rest and recover. The starting eleven for United was strong, including the likes of Harry Maguire, Andre Onana, Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro.
However, despite many first-team faces, United's wait for successive victories goes on as Maung Maung Lwin's second-half strike guided the ASEAN All-Stars to a 1-0 victory. The last time the Red Devils won back-to-back games was back in March in what is a harrowing statistic for manager Ruben Amorim, whose side did not look like they wanted to be on the pitch on Wednesday afternoon in another exhausting performance.
Defeat will have disappointed the thousands of Malaysian Manchester United fans in attendance who, despite United's dire season, had shown up wearing club shirts to support their side on the other side of the planet in sweltering conditions. Reports have stated that captain Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund may be leaving the side this summer, which may suggest why United failed to score against a side that is specifically put together for exhibition games.
United came closest in the first half as Kobbie Mainoo’s strike was blocked on the line but ultimately it was a performance that summed up Amorim’s domestic season, flat and unwatchable. Amorim’s side will next face Hong Kong on the 30th of May, just before the summer transfer window opens a few days later, where many players may be looking to escape the sinking ship ahead of the new season.