Manchester United could set perfect Oslo stage for new young star amid Haaland-mania

Manchester United fans in Norway have been put in a difficult position for the past year. While they still harbour the same passion and devotion for their beloved club, their star player has just won a Treble with Man City.

There is an enormous sense of national pride at the extraordinary exploits of Erling Haaland, though it poses a dilemma for those who prefer the red half of Manchester.

For many, it was the exploits of Norwegian stars such as Henning Berg, Ronny Johnson and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that forged their love for the club in the first place. In the decades to come, it could be sky blue rather than scarlet red that is most associated with Manchester in these parts.

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No matter how successful Haaland is at City, it will take some work. United’s trip to Oslo a year ago was in celebration of Manchester United Supporters Club Scandinavia's 30th anniversary; returning a year later shows just how important these fans are to the club.

Those links with Norway were rekindled during Solskjaer’s reign, and four years ago, it was he who brought United to his homeland for a match against Kristiansund before the season started. A third visit in five years is a canny move for United at a time when Haaland-mania risks challenging their dominance in the region, but there is still no denying that Erik ten Hag is a more popular figure in Norway’s capital than Pep Guardiola.

The fans who pack out the Ullevaal Stadion on Wednesday evening will not only be treated to the sight of Mason Mount’s debut, as they were with Christian Eriksen a year