Rosenborg
Manchester UnitedManchester United’s pre-season tour continues with a trip to Trondheim to face Rosenborg. After a shaky start in Helsinki, Michael Carrick’s side is still building fitness and searching for rhythm, while the Norwegian hosts, under new manager Freyr Alexandersson, are desperate to shake off a prolonged competitive slump.
Rosenborg enter this fixture in excellent physical shape, as the Norwegian league is in full swing. Under the previous coach, Alfred Johansson, the club stumbled through the opening of the championship and embarrassingly slipped into the relegation zone. However, a swift change on the managerial bench has turned things around. The Icelander Freyr Alexandersson, who arrived in June, quickly lifted the team to 10th place, stringing together three consecutive wins: a friendly against Molde (2‑1), plus league victories over Kristiansund (3‑0) and Start (3‑0). This friendly against a Premier League giant will be a perfect test of the new boss’s tactical ideas.
The club has avoided a major spending spree, relying instead on the cohesion of its core squad. The only notable loss in midfield is defensive midfielder Santeri Väänänen, who recently moved to German side Karlsruhe. In terms of incoming transfers, the only addition is the return of young striker Magnus Holte from a loan spell in Sweden.
Rosenborg have almost no injury concerns, with only experienced forward Dino Islamović sidelined. Due to a calf muscle injury, he missed the previous league round and is currently training individually, so a place in the starting XI is out of the question. In attack, Alexandersson will trust his healthy, in-form leaders, most notably the productive Amin Chiakha and winger Emil Sæde, who provided two assists in the last match.
For Manchester United, this is the second stage of their summer preparations. The opening game in Helsinki against Wrexham ended in a 0‑1 defeat, with the opponents scoring the only goal against United’s starting lineup. The presence of Maguire, Shaw, Mount, and Zirkzee could not save the favourites — the first‑team looked sluggish and clearly inferior to the opposition in terms of movement. In the second half, Michael Carrick completely changed the combination, bringing on the youngsters, but the reserves could not turn the tide. Now the coaching staff must correct the mistakes and restore sharpness to the squad.
Squad changes have mainly affected the central axis and the forward line. The club parted ways with veteran Casemiro and finally sold striker Rasmus Højlund. The gap in midfield is meant to be filled by new faces — Yuri Tielemans and Andre Santos. Meanwhile, the squad has been bolstered by the return from loan of goalkeeper André Onana and winger Marcus Rashford, though their long‑term prospects at the club remain uncertain.
The biggest problem for Michael Carrick is the absence of key players. All footballers involved in the 2026 World Cup — including star new signing Yuri Tielemans — are still on holiday. Additionally, striker Benjamin Šeško and goalkeeper Karl Darlow remained in England, recovering from minor knocks with individual programmes. Nevertheless, a solid core of first‑team players who did not take part in the World Cup has travelled to Trondheim: goalkeeper Tom Heaton, defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, as well as Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee are all ready for the match. The coaching staff is also actively involving academy talents and will undoubtedly give the youngsters a chance against a well‑drilled opponent.
Rosenborg (4‑1‑4‑1): Wahlstedt – Svensson, M. Sæde, Nemčík, Pereira – Selnes – Dürish, Bøhmholt, Fossum, E. Sæde – Chiakha
Unavailable: Islamović (injury)
Head coach: Freyr Alexandersson
Manchester United (4‑2‑3‑1): Heaton – Yoro, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw – Collier, Santos – Mbeumo, Mount, Dorgu – Zirkzee
Unavailable: Ugarte, de Ligt, Šeško, Darlow (all injured); Lammens, Bayındır, L. Martínez, Dalot, Mazraoui, Mainoo, Tielemans, B. Fernandes, Rashford, Diallo, Cunha (all not in the squad)
Head coach: Michael Carrick
Main prediction: A walk in the park for Manchester United is not expected. Rosenborg are in competitive mode and have hit a hot streak, winning three consecutive matches with a combined score of 8‑1. In contrast, the half‑reserve of the Mancunians, still under heavy training loads, are only just beginning their pre‑season preparation. The lack of key players after the 2026 World Cup has deprived the English side of creativity, as confirmed by the setback in Helsinki: Manchester United lost to Wrexham (0‑1) not only on the scoreboard but also in expected goals (0.36‑0.78). Against a well‑coached Norwegian side, the favourites will find it extremely difficult, so it is logical to back Rosenborg not to lose at 2.25.
Total prediction: Do not expect a goal fest in Trondheim. Michael Carrick continues to drill a pragmatic, possession‑based model, and the heavy physical workload at the start of the camp will prevent the English side from showing high productivity up front. Without Bruno Fernandes and the other leaders, United’s attack looks toothless (0.36 xG against Wrexham). Rosenborg, meanwhile, are disciplined: no more than three goals were scored in 19 of their last 23 matches. In this situation, it is sensible to back total goals under 3.5 at 1.58.
Rosenborg4-1-4-1
Manchester United4-2-3-1I'm backing Under 3.5 goals in this match. Manchester United want to play with more confidence, but their attack still lacks sharpness and finishing power. The team isn't producing high-scoring games right now, and I don't expect that to change here. The bet is solid: the total stays under 3.5.
I expect Manchester United to bounce back offensively after their lackluster performance in the last friendly. They have the quality to create chances and find the net, so backing them to score in this match is a solid bet.
I'm betting on both teams to score in this match. The Danes have shown they can find the net against top opposition, while Manchester's attack is relentless at home. Defensive lapses on both sides make goals from each team highly likely. This is a solid play.
I'm confident Manchester United will lose their second match as well. Watching them stumble again would be genuinely amusing—their form doesn't support a turnaround.
I'm confidently predicting at least two goals in the first half. Both teams have shown aggressive early play and shaky defenses in recent matches, making this a high-probability outcome.
I'm backing Rosenborg to avoid defeat here. Their home record is solid, and the visitors have struggled on the road, so I see no reason to bet against them. Rosenborg's attacking depth should be enough to secure at least a draw, making the "not lose" outcome a confident pick.
Man United are dealing with serious squad problems—several key players are out of the lineup entirely. Rosenborg, meanwhile, have been steadily finding their rhythm and are building real momentum. I'm confident in backing the home side here, so I'm taking the 1X double chance—Rosenborg to win or draw.
I’m confidently backing Manchester United to secure a convincing win. Their form and quality give me no reason to doubt a dominant performance, so I’m taking the victory.
Forecasting that the first half will see over 1 goal. My confidence is grounded in both teams’ recent attacking form and an analysis of their head-to-head history. Given the early-game intensity expected, I’m calling it now.
I'm going with the obvious path here. It may not be the most certain bet today, but I'm confident in this direction—the clearest signal is the one I'm following. The reasoning is straightforward: sometimes the straightforward call is the right one, even if it's not a lock.
I'm backing the home team to win. They have a clear edge with home advantage and recent form, and the visitors are struggling to keep up. This is a straightforward call.
I confidently predict that Mu will top the class. His consistent performance and deep understanding of the material set him apart from others. This outcome is almost certain.
I’ve been delivering exact score predictions for over a month now, and the results speak for themselves. Out of 18 matches, every single one hit the exact score – a perfect track record. I’ve spent years refining my approach, and this level of consistency is exactly what I aim for. If you’re serious about precise match predictions, you know where to find proven winners.
Please provide the forecast commentary you'd like me to rewrite.
I'm confident Manchester United will take this. They have the quality and momentum to get the job done, and anything less would be a surprise.
I'm predicting a draw in this match. Manchester United are still without most of their first-team squad, and while I liked what I saw from the younger players in the second half against Wrexham—especially Santos, who I expect to be a key creator here with an assist or pre-assist—the defense remains weak without key center-backs. We conceded against Wrexham and should have conceded more, so I fully expect Rosenborg to score, likely through their top striker Amin Chiaka. United won't lose, but with Ten Hag fielding two different lineups again and lacking the personnel to push for a win, a draw is the most realistic outcome.
I'm confident Manchester United will lose their second match as well. Watching them stumble again would be genuinely amusing—their form doesn't support a turnaround.
I'm backing the home team to win. They have a clear edge with home advantage and recent form, and the visitors are struggling to keep up. This is a straightforward call.
I’ve been delivering exact score predictions for over a month now, and the results speak for themselves. Out of 18 matches, every single one hit the exact score – a perfect track record. I’ve spent years refining my approach, and this level of consistency is exactly what I aim for. If you’re serious about precise match predictions, you know where to find proven winners.
I'm confident Manchester United will take this. They have the quality and momentum to get the job done, and anything less would be a surprise.
I'm predicting a draw in this match. Manchester United are still without most of their first-team squad, and while I liked what I saw from the younger players in the second half against Wrexham—especially Santos, who I expect to be a key creator here with an assist or pre-assist—the defense remains weak without key center-backs. We conceded against Wrexham and should have conceded more, so I fully expect Rosenborg to score, likely through their top striker Amin Chiaka. United won't lose, but with Ten Hag fielding two different lineups again and lacking the personnel to push for a win, a draw is the most realistic outcome.
I'm backing Rosenborg to avoid defeat here. Their home record is solid, and the visitors have struggled on the road, so I see no reason to bet against them. Rosenborg's attacking depth should be enough to secure at least a draw, making the "not lose" outcome a confident pick.
I'm going with the obvious path here. It may not be the most certain bet today, but I'm confident in this direction—the clearest signal is the one I'm following. The reasoning is straightforward: sometimes the straightforward call is the right one, even if it's not a lock.
I confidently predict that Mu will top the class. His consistent performance and deep understanding of the material set him apart from others. This outcome is almost certain.
Please provide the forecast commentary you'd like me to rewrite.
I expect Manchester United to bounce back offensively after their lackluster performance in the last friendly. They have the quality to create chances and find the net, so backing them to score in this match is a solid bet.
I'm confidently predicting at least two goals in the first half. Both teams have shown aggressive early play and shaky defenses in recent matches, making this a high-probability outcome.
Forecasting that the first half will see over 1 goal. My confidence is grounded in both teams’ recent attacking form and an analysis of their head-to-head history. Given the early-game intensity expected, I’m calling it now.
I'm backing Under 3.5 goals in this match. Manchester United want to play with more confidence, but their attack still lacks sharpness and finishing power. The team isn't producing high-scoring games right now, and I don't expect that to change here. The bet is solid: the total stays under 3.5.
Man United are dealing with serious squad problems—several key players are out of the lineup entirely. Rosenborg, meanwhile, have been steadily finding their rhythm and are building real momentum. I'm confident in backing the home side here, so I'm taking the 1X double chance—Rosenborg to win or draw.
I’m confidently backing Manchester United to secure a convincing win. Their form and quality give me no reason to doubt a dominant performance, so I’m taking the victory.
I'm betting on both teams to score in this match. The Danes have shown they can find the net against top opposition, while Manchester's attack is relentless at home. Defensive lapses on both sides make goals from each team highly likely. This is a solid play.
The match takes place on 24 July 2026 at 17:00 in Trondheim, Norway.
The main prediction is Rosenborg not to lose at odds of 2.25, and a total goals under 3.5 at 1.58.
United are missing many key players due to the 2026 World Cup (e.g., Tielemans, Fernandes, Rashford) and injuries (Šeško, Darlow), and they lost their first pre-season match 0-1 to Wrexham.
Rosenborg have won three consecutive matches under new manager Freyr Alexandersson, including league wins over Kristiansund and Start, with a combined score of 8-1.
For Rosenborg, striker Dino Islamović is out with a calf injury. For Manchester United, several players are unavailable due to World Cup rest or minor injuries, including Yuri Tielemans, Benjamin Šeško, and Karl Darlow.