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Ruben Amorim praises Man United players after intense speed drill ahead of Leeds friendly

Originally posted on HITC | By Adnan Riaz | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 11:36 AM ET

Manchester United prepare for pre-season opener against Leeds

Manchester United will kick off their pre-season tour this Saturday with a friendly against Leeds United in Sweden. The match will take place at the Strawberry Arena in Solna, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm UK time.

The fixture marks the first outing for Ruben Amorim’s side since their post-season tour of Asia. Last week, United’s players reported back to Carrington to begin Amorim’s first pre-season in charge of the club, arriving in two separate groups over the course of the week.

Amorim leads varied training sessions before ending with round-robin tournament

Throughout the second week of pre-season, Amorim and his coaching staff put the players through a range of exercises, including shooting drills and defensive work. The sessions culminated in a round-robin tournament featuring the full squad.

Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

Before the tournament, however, Amorim gathered his players for a particularly demanding drill at the Jimmy Murphy Centre inside Carrington.

Fast-paced drill pushes players in a high-pressure environment

The exercise involved small goals positioned in each corner of the pitch, with an emphasis on speed — a point regularly reinforced by Amorim’s coaching team.

According to club reporter Adam Marshall, the atmosphere was “noisy” and “head-spinning”, with the coaches constantly shouting instructions and encouragement.

Photo by Annice Lyn/Manchester United via Getty Images

The drill saw the ball zipped around at a rapid pace, and as it progressed, the players were challenged to find the miniature targets in the corners of the pitch.

Ruben Amorim applauds the effort after intense session

At the end of the demanding exercise, Amorim appeared pleased with the squad’s performance. According to Manchester United’s official website, the manager applauded the players for their effort before leading them into the concluding round-robin tournament.

His reaction gave fans an early insight into the standards and intensity he expects at United ahead of the new season.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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