Early start for Man Utd players

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim had his side training at 8am the day after they arrived in the United States this week to help them with the acclimatisation process.

United landed in Chicago late on Tuesday but with a six-hour time difference to the UK, Amorim had his players working early the following day.

Breakfast was available from 6.30am, although most arrived slightly later before leaving for the training complex at local Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire.

At least the players were spared having to load up on pasta at that time in the morning – former United defender Patrice Evra famously said he was sick after his debut against Manchester City, which had a 12.30pm start as he had never eaten so early before a game.

Players don't need to eat as much before training, so most stuck with omelettes or avocado on toast.

The timing was put back slightly on Thursday, when the players had to be in the gym at 8.30am and on the pitch at 9am. For the part-open session on Friday, the players are due to start training at 9.30am.

It was helpful in the sense it kept United's players out of the fierce mid-afternoon temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday, which climbed to over 30C.

Still, it might come as a shock to the body clock on Saturday when their Premier League Summer Series game against West Ham starts at 7pm local time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, meaning the game won't finish until around 2am UK time.

The players who are not involved will have a training session on the pitch after the game.

United are flying straight back to their Chicago base after the game.