Manchester United might finally be doing what Ajax and Barcelona do thanks to Erik ten Hag

When the Manchester United first-team squad pitched up at their University of California San Diego training base on Sunday, they were greeted by the under-21s, who were already in place for their own US training camp.

For a couple of days they trained alongside each other, going through drills on adjacent pitches, while Erik ten Hag and his staff looking ahead to a game against Real Madrid in Houston, and Travis Binnion and his coaches this fixture with Wrexham at the Snapdragon Stadium.

It was Ten Hag who spoke to the media to discuss the fixture on Monday but Binnion who led the operation, directing from the touchline while the Dutchman sat behind him. While the players and most of the first-team staff flew to Houston at around 5pm on Tuesday, Ten Hag hung around to take in the Wrexham game.

The schedule sounds demanding but he had spoken enthusiastically about this fixture and the value of it for the young players involved. They certainly learnt a lesson or two during the 90 minutes in San Diego.

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Ten Hag pointed to some of the minor details as being good for the players. The fact the game was being shown live on ESPN, in front of a capacity crowd, the experience of the travel and the tour element. Then there was the football and playing against a strong, physical Football League side.

Despite the defeat, it will still be a learning curve for the United youngsters and there were positives, particularly in the style of play, which is something else Ten Hag spoke about prior to kick off. He has become involved in the under-21 set-up since his arrival at the club and sees it as part of his job. He wants a joined-up approach.

"Under-21s