Manchester United have a decision to make on youngster from USA pre-season tour

The general consensus in the press box at Edgely Park was that Manchester United had a tough night ahead of them.

Stockport County were among the favourites for League Two promotion before the beginning of this season and a member of their media team said he was surprised at the starting line-up Travis Binnion had named when the team news arrived.

United went the furthest they'd been in the EFL Trophy last season and Rhys Bennett, Zidane Iqbal, Kobbie Mainoo, Dan Gore and Alejandro Garnacho started the opening game of the 2022/23 group stage against Carlisle.

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The well-regarded Bennett and Mainoo are currently injured, Iqbal left the club this summer and Garnacho is part of the first-team, so Gore was the only player from that group to start back-to-back opening games in the competition.

Gore, who unsurprisingly wore the armband on Tuesday night, was excellent against Leeds just a few days prior to facing Stockport and a stellar performance was needed from the youngster to give his side hope of a result.

Another Stockport member of staff gave enthusiastic, warm welcomes to journalists upon arrival at Edeley Park and it was therefore appropriate their team reflected that enthusiasm with a fast start to the game on the pitch.

That pressure from the first whistle almost led to the perfect start for the hosts when Elyh Harrison was forced into making an early save, which rebounded into the path of Josh Popoola, who had the net at his mercy.

Popoola could not fininsih, though, and he was goaded by the sell-out away support next to