Assessing the strength of ASEAN All-Stars vs MU: An uneven battle.

Manchester United brings a strong squad.

Less than 24 hours after concluding their Premier League season with a victory over Aston Villa, Manchester United flew to Southeast Asia to begin their summer friendly matches. Their first game will be against the ASEAN All-Stars team at 7:45 PM on May 28th.

Coach Ruben Amorim showed his seriousness in this short training camp by bringing along a deep squad. Key players like Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot continued to play before joining the Portuguese national team. In addition, there was the surprising inclusion of Alejandro Garnacho – who had publicly expressed his dissatisfaction at only playing 20 minutes in the Europa League final.

Manchester United's expected starting lineup features a mix of experience and youth, including players like Bayindir, Evans, Dalot, Mainoo, Amad, and captain Fernandes. Despite not having all their superstars, MU still demonstrated clear superiority in terms of squad strength.

ASEAN All-Stars: A gathering of regional elites

On the other side of the battlefield, the ASEAN All-Stars is a team comprised of players from 10 Southeast Asian countries, excluding Brunei. The squad consists of 18 players, including four from Vietnam (Do Duy Manh and Nguyen Hoang Duc), along with representatives from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste, and Singapore.

Despite being called an "all-star team," this is a new squad, lacking time to assemble and having hardly ever played together. Coach Kim Sang-sik – the South Korean strategist – will face the difficult challenge of creating a competitive team in a short period of time.

Notably, several key players from Indonesia – a country with a rapidly growing footballing nation – will not be participating as they are preparing for the World Cup qualifiers.

The difference in class is too great.

While Manchester United have just gone through a turbulent season and are in the process of rebuilding under Amorim, they remain a club with a rich tradition and possess superior physical fitness and technical skills compared to their opponents. This match is an opportunity for the Red Devils to experiment, regain their morale, and showcase a positive image to their Asian fans.

Conversely, the ASEAN All-Stars might view the match as a valuable opportunity for exchange and learning rather than focusing solely on winning. Despite the enthusiasm and individual skill displayed by players from various footballing nations in the region, they are unlikely to spring a surprise against a Manchester United team with superior organization and squad depth.

Predicted result:

International news outlets all predict a resounding victory for MU:

• Sportsmole:ASEAN All-Stars 0-5 MU

• WhoScore:ASEAN All-Stars 1-5 MU
• Our newspaper predicts:ASEAN All-Stars 0-6 MU

Although it's just a friendly match, the ASEAN All-Stars vs MU game promises to be an entertaining spectacle, but it's unlikely to be a one-sided affair favoring the English team.