Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was happy that his side could go toe-to-toe with rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield.
The Red Devils lost on penalties to Pep Guardiola’s side but it took a late comeback from the Premier League champions to salvage the match.
Alejandro Garnacho scored in the 82nd minute in front of the travelling United fans in what looked to be the winner, but for a last-gasp Bernardo Silva header.
The match went straight to penalties and Silva missed his, but was spared his blushes by Ederson, who saved from Jadon Sancho.
Jonny Evans then skied his penalty before Manuel Akanji won the match for City.
It was not the result the FA Cup winners were hoping for but Ten Hag is seeing the positives from the match.
He said: “Tough result to take. When the performance is right, when you lose everyone feels this. It hurts in your stomach.
The first step on a long 2024/25 journey.
Let’s keep the faith and roll on to next Friday, together 👊#MUFC || #CommunityShield pic.twitter.com/DgbUEVKB0c
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 10, 2024
“You have to feel pain and we have to hurt. We have to take this belief into the league.
“We did very good to produce the second goal in the FA Cup final before half-time and weren’t able to do that here.
“We managed to be on an equal level with Man City and got [Marcus] Rashford high on the pitch and good defending.
“We created chances, we got pressure in the ball and in possession we had some very good chances from this so there are many positives we can take.”
Rashford featured in the starting line-up but was not at his best in the curtain-raiser.
It highlighted the need for more recruitment at United but Ten Hag said people need to be patient.
He added: “We are disappointed and we have to feel the pain and everyone feels the pain but also I see some positives and we performed well.
“When we have some news then we will announce it and until that point we work with the squad that is available.
“It is clear we have problems and the players have to work to be available and the staff have to work so that the players are available.”
