Manchester United fell to defeat during their mid- World Cup tour of Spain as Cadiz got the better of a much-changed Red Devils' line-up.
In a match that was intended to blow away the cobwebs for the Red Devils ahead of their return to Premier League action, Erik ten Hag might have a lot more cleaning to do after a messy first-half for his side. The Spanish outfit found themselves 2-0 up within the first 15 minutes as Carlos Garcia headed home the opener from a clever free-kick before Anthony Lozano rounded off a great team move.
United eventually found themselves a foothold as French forward Anthony Martial converted from the penalty spot after Zidane Iqbal was taken down. Youngster Kobbie Mainoo then hauled United level after his half-time introduction with a deflected effort. Cadiz managed to hit back as Ruben Sorino fired in a thunderous volley as he latched onto a shot from distance, with Tomas Alarcon rounding off the scoring.
Here are the main talking points that United will take out of the clash:
Wan-Bissaka endures nightmare return
Seemingly on his way out of Man Utd in the summer, right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka eventually ended up staying at Old Trafford - a decision that looks to be somewhat misguided. He had been afforded just four minutes of competive action before being named in the starting line-up against Cadiz - that lack of match-action being easily identifiable.
Within the opening couple of minutes, he was easily skipped by, whilst the former Crystal Palace man found himself out of position for Cadiz's second goal. Should he hope to usurp the in-form Diogo Dalot in the United pecking order, displays such as Wan-Bissaka's against the Spanish side will not do him any favours.
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Red Devils over-commit again
Whilst Wan-Bissaka will likely be disappointed with his part in Cadiz's second, he is certainly not the only one to blame as the vast majority of Red Devils got themselves stuck up the pitch as Lozano tucked home Alex's centre.
In the Premier League this season, only Leicester and Everton have conceded from more of their opponent's counter-attacks - a problem that seems to have continued with United's second string side. Whether that is down to Ten Hag's style or a slight lack of concentration when defending remains to be seen but it is an issue that the Dutchman will want to fix sooner rather than later.
Martial aiming to avoid another false dawn
United fans might remember that Frenchman Martial enjoyed an electric start to pre-season following Ten Hag's arrival at the club. The former Monaco starlet scored in his first three appearances under the Dutchman against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Melbourne Victory.
However, he did not manage to translate that form to competitive action with just two Premier League goals to his name. To his credit, he has been met with near-constant injuries this term.
In getting on the scoresheet once more with a sumptuous panenka penalty, Martial will no doubt be hoping to find a promising run of form before the competitive action finally returns after the World Cup - particularly with a vacancy in the side's frontline following the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Youth Cup stars get a chance
With the vast majority of United's first team squad either still at the World Cup - or granted somewhat of a short break following the tournament - there was always an opportunity for the Red Devils' young stars to impress in Spain. Following the half-time interval, Ten Hag elected to change all ten out-field players.
Six of the players to be introduced were part of the United side that lifted the FA Youth Cup at the back-end of last season. Predictably full of energy and enthusiasm, many of the those youngsters will be keen to make an impression over the next week and potentially earn first-team opportunities sooner rather than later.
Kobbie Mainoo continues to shine
On the topic of young players attempting to make an impression, one of the Red Devil's most exciting academy graduates is 17-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The Stockport-born youngster has been steadily rising through United's age groups and is now a regular fixture in their under-23 side.
He has been hailed as "different class" having penned his first professional contract over the past 12 months and displayed his promise just minutes after being introduced against Cadiz. Receiving the ball, he committed his man and found the net - albeit with the help of a deflection.
His positivity was certainly a huge plus - despite United eventually falling to defeat.
Premier League flops get the last laugh
Whilst the showdown with Cadiz was officially billed a friendly, it did not seem that way on the pitch. Numerous strong challenges went in, whilst there were a few verbal exchanges between both benches.
Some players in the Cadiz side in particular will have been keen to make an impression. Former Man City striker Alvaro Negredo was named in the starting line-up for the hosts, whilst he was replaced by ex-Arsenal and West Ham forward Lucas Perez. In the meantime, former Leicester man Luis Hernandez was given a starring role at the back.
The Spaniard actially ended up giving away a penalty having hauled down Iqbal - whilst Perez and Negredo struggled to make an impression in their advanced years. Regardless, they will likely be thrilled at the victory, especially given the flashpoints in the game.
