A VISIT from Manchester United’s second string will provide Tranmere with an idealŠ pre-season testŠ at Prenton Park tonight, manager Les Parry believes.
The Wirral public won’t be seeing the big stars of Old Trafford, who are taking on the Major League Soccer All-Stars XI as part of United’s USA tour in New Jersey later today.
But Sir Alex Ferguson’s reserve team should be packed with quality young players capable of building careers at other clubs if they can’t make it with the English champions.
Parry says United will be playing a brand of passing football that is sure to stretch Tranmere in a way they have not encountered in the pre-season workouts against non-League opposition over the last three weeks.
He said: “One of the reasons we took this fixture is we were looking for a game against a team who will move the ball around a lot.
“We will need to be able to squeeze, to move and to communicate in a match like this. United are ideal opposition for us.”
Parry’s busy scouting schedule has made him a regular spectator at Manchester United reserve and youth team games over the last two seasons.
His contacts with the Old Trafford setup led to Rovers signing young United defender Scott Wootton for two loan spells last season.
Parry said: “United produce a lot of good players who get sold on. There is a lot said about United paying big money for players but they also do well in the selling stakes.
“People should see some good football. You often get a better game out of playing the second string of a bigger club because they have players who want to do well in these games. TheyŠ have something to prove.
“If you play the first team at this stage of the summer, you sometimes find the players take their feet off the pedal a little bit, thinking it’s going to be easier than it actually is.
“We found that out at Altrincham last Saturday.”
The 2-0 defeat at Moss Lane left Tranmere with a record of one win and three defeats in five first-team preseason games so far this summer.
Parry insists he isn’t concerned about results but he will be looking for a significant improvement in the performance level after Tranmere’s “lethargic” show against Conference North team Altrincham.
Tranmere’s line-up could include any of trialists who impressed in a reserve team friendly at Heswall last night.
Rovers are hopeful that several players who suffered slight knocks over recent days will be fit for action against United.
The senior players who missed the Altrincham game included goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams, full-back Zoumana Bakayogo, striker Adam McGurk and midfielder Andy Robinson. Parry reported that midfielders Joss Labadie and John Welsh together with defender Ash Taylor picked up knocks at Altrincham.
