Why Sir Alex Ferguson would approve of Manchester United's pre-season plan

Manchester United's 2023 USA tour schedule would get the seal of approval from Sir Alex Ferguson as the Reds prepare to face a trio of high calibre opponents.

United face Arsenal, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in America while they also have a game against Wrexham, where a young squad will take on the now League Two side. The Red Devils will travel close to 5,000 miles throughout the course of their US tour, starting in New Jersey against the Gunners on July 22.

They play Wrexham in San Diego on July 25 before taking on Real Madrid in Houston 24 hours later and conclude the Stateside sojourn with a game against Dortmund in Vegas on July 30.

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It will be a demanding tour, but matches against the likes of Arsenal and Real Madrid will provide a taste of the level of competition for next season as well as giving youngsters the chance to impress on a grand stage. United's US tours have always commanded huge interest, with capacity crowds in vast arenas greeting them across the states throughout the years.

There will be no competitive element on this occasion, however, with the International Champions Cup, won by United in 2014, having been discontinued in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. There will still be big challenges on the way, with the fixture against Madrid in Houston a tantalising prospect. And it's games like that which Ferguson wanted on his schedule as a manager.

"The great thing about United is you've got to accept the challenge of beating the best," Ferguson told the club's