Jude Bellingham is the star of the show as Real Madrid down Manchester United in Houston

Pre-season friendly games are no more than a hint of what could be about to come when the real action gets underway, but Jude Bellingham already looks like the real deal for Real Madrid. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has set his team up to suit the Englishman during the tour of the United States and the former Borussia Dortmund star has flourished, playing like an established veteran rather than a recent arrival.

Summer signings Bellingham and Joselu find the net

Bellingham was the star of the show against a work-in-progress Manchester United in Houston, opening the scoring early on with a sublime chip after a fine run from deep, with Joselu netting an acrobatic second in the closing stages. Two wins from two for Madrid in the US so far.

How will Real Madrid line up in 2023/24?

The team that played in Houston gave us several pointers as to how the LaLiga giants could line up this season. Eduardo Camavinga played the full 90 minutes in midfield, unlike Aurélien Tchouaméni, who has been rather less impressive than his compatriot in recent times and was replaced by Toni Kroos at half time. Luka Modric played for just over an hour and will continue to start the big games, while Bellingham was the dominant figure in the middle third of the field and often found himself supporting the forwards.

As appeared inevitable, Fran García was preferred to Ferland Mendy at left-back, and Vinicius and Rodrygo were given free rein to do as the wished in attack. The Brazilian duo’s creativity isn’t in question, although whether they will offer enough goals is the main concern. Finding the net may have to be a collective effort (perhaps until Kylian Mbappé turns up at the Santiago Bernabéu?).

Are Manchester United on the way back?

United are the most successful club in England in terms of domestic titles and also the first team from the country to win the European Cup. However, they have been left lagging behind by the very best in recent years, both at home and abroad. But they now hope they are slowly on the way back (and could soon by aided by Qatari funding).

Summer signings André Onana and Mason Mount both started against Madrid, while Champions League-winning veterans Raphaël Varane and Casemiro also featured against their former club. Within a minute, the latter had dumped international teammate Rodrygo to the ground in typical no-nonsense fashion.

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Bellingham excels in midfield...and attack

It took Bellingham only seven minutes to show his class. His run in behind the Red Devils’ defence was picked up by a pinpoint pass from Antonio Rüdiger, and the England international controlled with his left before expertly clipping the ball over Onana with his right. A textbook finish from the midfielder, who transitioned perfectly into the role of centre-forward in the blink of an eye. No two players are the same, but that Bellingham has inherited Zinedine Zidane’s old number 5 jersey feels significant; like the French star, the 20-year-old is a forward-thinking midfield player who plays for the team and not for himself. The way Ancelotti has set the team up to get the best out of him will no doubt have helped with his adaptation.

Martínez takes Bellingham out

After the goal, there was little to separate the teams in terms of possession, although Madrid looked the more dangerous. While Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford had opportunities to equalise, Los Blancos offered more of a threat in the opposing penalty area. Vinicius cut inside Aaron Wan-Bissaka before testing Onana, with García often roaring forward in support of the Brazilian winger on the left-hand side. But Bellingham was the stand-out performer, with Lisando Martínez taking matters into his own hands in by clattering into the former Borussia Dortmund star on the halfway line with half time approaching.

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Substitutions change the game but not the result

Ancelotti made six changes - including taking off Bellingham - at the interval, which disrupted Real Madrid’s rhythm. Substitute Nacho made a couple of important interventions to thwart Bruno Fernandes and Garnacho as United pressed, with the latter of the pair a constant menace to Lucas Vázquez, who had more trouble dealing with him that Dani Carvajal had had in the opening period.

Erik Ten Hag’s side made mass changes with half-an-hour to go and the fresh legs gave them added attacking impetus. Andriy Lunin made saves from Scott McTominay, Donny Van de Beek and Fernandes, while at the othe end, Madrid sub Joselu squandered three good chances in three minutes. But like all good number 9s, he kept plugging away and was handsomely rewarded, just when it looked as if United might equaliser. The striker converted Vázquez’s right-wing cross with a superb overhead kick, going some way to proving he can be an effective plan B ahead of Saturday’s Clásico against Barcelona.

Real Madrid

• 13 Andriy Lunin
• 20 Fran Garcia (45')
• 4 Alaba (45')
• 2 Dani Carvajal (45')
• 22 Rüdiger (45')
• 18 Aurelien Tchouameni (45')
• 10 Modric (61')
• 5 Jude Bellingham (45')
• 12 Camavinga
• 7 Vinicius Junior (71')
• 11 Rodrygo (60')
• Substitutes
• 3 Eder Militao (45')
• 15 Federico Valverde (45')
• 8 Kroos (45')
• 1 Courtois
• 14 Joselu (60')
• 6 Nacho (45')
• 24 Arda Guler
• 26 Diego Piñeiro
• 27 Nico Paz (71')
• 17 Lucas Vázquez (45')
• 30 Francisco González
• 16 Álvaro Odriozola
• 23 Ferland Mendy (45')
• 21 Brahim Diaz (61')

M. United

• 24 Andre Onana
• 19 Varane (61')
• 23 Shaw (61')
• 29 Wan-Bissaka (61')
• 6 Lisandro Martínez (61')
• 18 Casemiro (61')
• 49 Alejandro Garnacho (61')
• 8 Bruno Fernandes
• 73 Kobbie Mainoo (5')
• 7 Mason Mount (61')
• 10 Rashford (61')
• Substitutes
• 33 Brandon Williams (61')
• 21 Antony (61')
• 14 Eriksen (61')
• 62 Omari Forson
• 28 Pellistri (61')
• 5 Harry Maguire (61')
• 16 Amad Diallo Traore
• 34 van de Beek (61')
• 2 Nilsson-Lindelöf (61')
• 39 McTominay (61')
• 25 Jadon Sancho (61')
• 20 Diogo Dalot (61')
• 22 Heaton

Substitutions

Christian Eriksen (5', Kobbie Mainoo), Ferland Mendy (45', Fran García), Toni Kroos (45', Aurélien Tchouaméni), Lucas Vázquez (45', Dani Carvajal), Federico Valverde (45', Jude Bellingham), Nacho (45', Antonio Rüdiger), Éder Militão (45', David Alaba), Joselu (60', Rodrygo), Scott McTominay (61', Luke Shaw), Victor Lindelöf (61', Lisandro Martínez), Facundo Pellistri (61', Mason Mount), Brandon Williams (61', Casemiro), Jadon Sancho (61', Marcus Rashford), Donny van de Beek (61', Christian Eriksen), Antony (61', Alejandro Garnacho), Diogo Dalot (61', Aaron Wan-Bissaka), Harry Maguire (61', Raphaël Varane), Brahim Díaz (61', Luka Modric), Nico Paz (71', Vinícius Júnior)

Goals

1-0, 5': Jude Bellingham, 2-0, 88': Joselu

Cards

Referee: Lukasz Szpala
Lisandro Martínez (41',Yellow) Camavinga (69',Yellow) Bruno Fernandes (80',Yellow)