The summer progress of Manchester United is difficult to gauge after a day against opponents whose best players were undercooked and frankly, not fit.

The season has officially started, and Manchester City still have four players on their holidays. They started with four players owning squad numbers higher than 50. Perhaps that’s why Pep Guardiola’s grin was a touch wider than you might have imagined for what was a penalty shootout win in a friendly. A friendly packed with pomp, but nevertheless, still a friendly.

It was way back in 2019 when City last won the Community Shield, losing their last three, and there is irony to the omens not seeming great. They lose here then win the Premier League, normally. That’s how it works.

Jadon Sancho missed from the spot, not quite the definitive he would have hoped given the ongoing uncertainty as to his aptitude for working under Erik ten Hag, and Manuel Akanji knocked in the winner. City actually ran about celebrating. Maybe it does mean a little bit.

They wrestled a way back into the game late on, substitute Bernardo Silva equalising with two minutes left after Alejandro Garnacho’s stunning opener. And with four academy graduates, three starters who’d had two training sessions.

United took an early advantage in the shootout after Andre Onana denied Bernardo Silva

But misses from both Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans put City back in the driving seat

These clubs are, broadly, at different points of their conditioning, so while United were good in spells – largely functional, but good – any encouragement for Ten Hag must be tempered by the state of their opposition.

There were moments of quality when progressing through midfield – Marcus Rashford squandering two huge chances which a forward with confidence would gobble – and strong transitioning back at the scene of the manager’s great escape 11 weeks ago.

Semblance of patterns even broke out among United’s protagonists, Amad Diallo particularly impressive alongside Bruno Fernandes, whose skewering second-half shot was disallowed for offside, in that regard. A style; better late than never, but a style nonetheless.

And, with deals moving for Bayern Munich pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, more of a shape to their back line ahead of the campaign kicking off properly.

With signings Ten Hag wants, this has to be the time he sorts a consistency and a consistency of excellence. He witnessed occasions of quality, and occasions of disorganisation.

The executive contingent – Omar Berrada, booed by City fans when appearing on screen, alongside Sir Dave Brailsford and Jason Wilcox – will have seen things they liked from Ten Hag and new coach Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But it was a day that ended with a guard of honour for their cross-city rivals who cantered at half-speed with the kids.

James McAtee came closest to opening the scoring in the first-half as his strike hit the post

Pep Guardiola opted for a youthful side at Wembley with four academy graduates starting

Man United looked to have seized the initiative and enjoyed a strong spell after the interval

Marcus Rashford hit the post and Bruno Fernandes, pictured, has a goal ruled out for offside

One of them, Oscar Bobb, might actually be ready to explode. With an eye-catcher of a pre-season tour to America, Bobb just looks like he’s going to do something that bit different.