PHILADELPHIA – Manchester United didn’t come to the United States and Canada to take a midsummer vacation. They came here to work and get ready for the 2010-11 English Premier League Season.
For manager Sir Alex Ferguson, from the moment they arrived in North America, and Philadelphia in particular, it’s been straight to business.
WATCH:MUFC ON THE ROCKY STEPS
“We’re doing double sessions and training as early as we can,” said Ferguson at a press conference on Monday. "About 9:30 in the morning and then about 5, 5:30 in the evening."
Those preparations have paid dividends so far. Last week, the Red Devils looked impressive in a 3-1 friendly win over Scottish giants Celtic FC, and look to carry that same form over to their important friendly on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union.
“The conditions have helped us,” the United manager added. “We’ve had some really good training sessions. The players have been great. Good application, good concentration and they’ve put in some really good work.”
However, not all has been work, work, work for Manchester United. On Tuesday, last season’s English Premier League runners-up visited another champ – albeit a fictional one. The Red Devils climbed the famous “Rocky Steps” that lead up to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Portuguese winger Nani did his best impression of Rocky Balboa.
GALLERY:MAN UNITED ON ROCKY STEPS
But maybe the stroll up those stairs was yet another form of preparation for Wednesday’s match. United have nearly a full complement of players to choose from as the game nears and will look to land the knockout blow on a fully fit Philadelphia, who are currently in the middle of their first MLS campaign.
BUY: Manchester United US Tour Tickets
Full Tour Schedule:
July 21: Manchester United vs. Philadelphia Union (7:30 pm ET, Lincoln Financial Field)
July 25: Manchester United vs. Kansas City Wizards (6 pm ET, Arrowhead Stadium)
July 28: Manchester United vs. MLS All-Stars (8:30 pm ET, Reliant Stadium)
Mexico:
July 30: Manchester United vs. Chivas Guadalajara (Guadalajara, Mexico)
