Manchester United enjoyed a first win of the summer in Trondheim, Norway on Friday, triumphing 5–0 over local team Rosenborg.Michael Carrick’s side began preparations for 2026–27 last weekend, losing narrowly to Wrexham in Helsinki, Finland. But where there had been understandable cobwebs to blow away in that match, this was a much more polished performance against a Rosenborg team that is actually in full flight because of how Norway’s domestic soccer calendar works.United were the dominant force from the opening kick off, and Patrick Dorgu and Leny Yoro both struck the woodwork either side of 19-year-old academy talent Shea Lacey breaking the deadlock.Joshua Zirkzee doubled the lead early in the second half with some fine individual skill, before a host of changes allowed a team of academy graduates to finish the match—Carrick delayed the mass substitutions by 15 minutes compared to the Wrexham game, where they happened at halftime.Young defender Jacob Devaney thrashed in a third goal from a corner kick almost straight after coming off the bench, before replacement left back Harry Amass delivered a fourth after bursting forward and meeting a right wing cross, first time, at the far post.Right back Jaydan Kamason set that one up, and then also made the fifth United goal for Ethan Williams, a very similar low cross towards the far post but an easier finish.— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 24, 2026Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount Step UpWith so many World Cup players still on summer rest and Benjamin Šeško working on his fitness back in Manchester, this portion of preseason is an opportunity for others in the squad to impress Carrick and stake a claim for an important role over the course of the forthcoming campaign.Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount grabbed this chance with both hands.Zirkzee has lacked a defined role since arriving from Bologna in 2024, with his 6'4" physical frame leading to assumptions that he ought to be an all-action center forward. But the Dutchman is more subtle and skillful than a bruising No. 9. He prefers to drop deep and create, which he demonstrated here with excellent vision and execution to set up Lacey for the opening goal, splitting the Rosenborg defense with a vertical pass for the electric teenager to race after.The goal he scored himself was wonderful to watch, faking a right-footed shot twice to first sit down a defender, and then the goalkeeper, before casually knocking the ball into an unguarded net.Mount didn’t have the same direct impact on the scoreline during his hour on the pitch, but the attacking midfielder deserves praise for his passing while on the ball and his work rate off of it.Big Opportunities for Shea Lacey, Radek VitekAlthough largely sticking with the senior lineup that began against Wrexham, Carrick saw fit to hand starting opportunities to the aforementioned Lacey, as well as goalkeeper Radek Vítek.Lacey took his goal extremely well, using his pace to stretch the field. Even when the youngster latched onto the ball played through by Zirkzee, he didn’t snatch at the shot, keeping his composure and stroking the finish into the bottom corner after cutting onto his left foot at the last moment.In goal, Vítek was afforded 72 minutes before Carrick handed a chance to Dermot Mee. The Czech stopper spent last season on loan with Bristol City and will likely need another loan—or even a permanent sale—before the transfer window closes, after Karl Darlow joined this month.“I’m ready to go somewhere again and hopefully be number one,” he said last weekend.Harry Amass Raises an Important QuestionUnited ideally need a new left back this season to provide specialist cover for Luke Shaw, with Patrick Dorgu increasingly repurposed as a winger and Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui better suited to their preferred position on the right.There have been rumors of dipping into the market, but why can’t it be Harry Amass?Amass made the news last season when former manager Ruben Amorim strangely claimed he was “struggling” on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, which wasn’t exactly the case. The ex-boss doubled down a few days later when he hit out at perceived “entitlement” among young players in general.Amass joined Norwich City for the second half of the campaign and suffered injury in the days that followed his debut, ending his season. But the 19-year-old is back to full fitness this summer and his goal here against Rosenborg was preceded by an assist—setting up Zirkzee.United doesn’t need someone to replace Luke Shaw in the short term, after he finally put years of injury complaints behind him last season, but to provide cover and competition. Amass is in a strong position to learn from the senior man and potentially become his long-term replacement.JJ Gabriel ‘Debut’ WaitsJJ Gabriel remained on the bench. | Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty ImagesJJ Gabriel didn’t manage to get on the pitch this time, but the 15-year-old sensation will still have picked up invaluable experience just by sitting on the bench.There were 12 outfield players among the substitutes, so a couple of players were always going to miss out—18-year-old Jim Thwaites was the other.For Gabriel, the wait to see him make at least an unofficial “debut” continues.Blue Away Kit DebutsLaunched earlier this week, the match marked a debut for United’s new all-blue away kit.Blue is a historic color for the club, most famously worn when Matt Busby’s team triumphed in the 1968 European Cup final at Wembley Stadium.It has continued to be a common secondary color in the decades since, notably when United comprehensively eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League semifinals in 2008–09, and then when José Mourinho’s side lifted the Europa League in 2016–17.The new version of the kit has strong retro vibes, largely thanks to the vintage adidas trefoil logo and inspiration from rare third jerseys from the late 1980s.It will be worn again when United take to the field next, facing Atlético Madrid in Stockholm, Sweden, on Aug. 1. That will be the biggest test of the summer so far.READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow