In a key pre-season warm-up match, Manchester United showed strong competitiveness and good preparation by beating West Ham United 3-1. After the match, manager O'Neill spoke highly of the team's overall performance, first praising that it was a night full of positive energy and that the team showed a very high standard in both offense and defense. O'Neill pointed out that the players' tacit cooperation and tenacity in the game were the key to the team's victory, not only were they able to create a number of threatening attacking opportunities when they had the ball, but also performed very well when they were defending without the ball, and the solid defense of the four defenders laid a solid foundation for the team's victory.
However, the joy of victory was also mixed with a hint of regret, that is, Cunha left the game early due to a knee injury during the game. O'Neill expressed great concern about this, revealing that Cunha suddenly felt pain in the back of his knee during the game, something he was very worried about before the game. Although the initial diagnosis shows that the injury is not serious, O'Neill emphasized that he will be cautious about Cunha's injury and will make sure that he does not risk playing until he is fully recovered, so as not to aggravate the injury and affect his career.
Aside from Cunha's injury, O'Neill also recognized other highlights of the team's performance in the game. He particularly mentioned the outstanding performance of newcomer Rodrigo Gomez in the game. Gomez not only managed to score two goals, but also showed great running aggressiveness and sense of smell in front of the goal on the field, which contributed to the team's victory. O'Neill said that Gomez's joining the team injected new vitality, and his performance also proved that the team's vision and decision-making in attracting reinforcements is correct.
In addition, O'Neill also talked about the episode of the postponement of the game and the arrangement of the players' playing time. He revealed that the original plan was to make personnel changes at halftime, but the sudden injury to Cunha disrupted the original plan. However, he made reasonable arrangements for the playing time of other players to ensure that each player could get proper playing time to adapt to the rhythm of the game. At the same time, he also praised the outstanding performance of Huang Xican and other players in the game, that their performance on the field exceeded expectations.
Looking ahead, O'Neill said the team will continue to maintain high morale and rigorous training attitude to be fully prepared for the upcoming matches. He revealed that several players will return to the team on Sunday and are expected to participate in the next game. O'Neill said he is looking forward to the return of these players and hopes that they will be able to integrate into the team's training and game rhythm as soon as possible and contribute to the team's journey in the new season.
