Manchester United are counting on Erik ten Hag with Rasmus Hojlund gamble

When Jude Bellingham is this irrepressible, the only way to halt him is through illegal means. Lisandro Martinez was the first Manchester United player to volunteer.

Martinez received a yellow card for the second friendly running and, like his cynical upending of Bukayo Saka in New Jersey, it was warranted. In Houston, United had a problem and it was Bellingham.

Bellingham shoved Martinez back and, as he said himself afterwards, was "effing this and effing that" about the Argentine's aggressiveness.

When Martinez was substituted after an hour, he acknowledged Bellingham, whose evening lasted for 45 virtuoso minutes. "The little tiff with Martinez is one of those things," Bellingham said. "He is a brilliant player. I came in at half time and I was effing this and effing that.

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"But when he came over to wish me all the best when he came off, I really respected it. I know what goes on the pitch stays on the pitch. I saw him at the end of the game and wished him well. I can respect that when two players are trying to win their team and can come together and be respectful after the game.

"He is a great competitor and a great player. Just like me, he wants to win. Sometimes it spills over. That is part of the game. I am really respectful. We can have that moment after the game."

Pangs of regret will have been felt in the United dugout and in the dignitaries' box at the NRG Stadium. Erik ten Hag casually named Bellingham as the one player in the world he could sign and Bryan Robson, one of the United ambassadors in the States, will have approved of Bellingham's silk and steel.

Bellingham has been likened to Robson but that seems a disservice. He has