21/08/2017 21:00, Report by Cliff Butler

Premier League 2 | Leigh Sports Village | Scorers: Gorre 53; Boonen 79 

Manchester United's Reserves grabbed a late point against Swansea City at Leigh Sports Village in front of 2,136 fans, who also saw Luke Shaw and Ashley Young both make a successful return from long-term injuries.

This may have been a reserve-team fixture, to use old-fashioned terminology for a second-team game, but it was a hugely important evening for senior duo Shaw and Young, who were both returning to action after being side-lined through injury for almost four months.

Shaw damaged ligaments, coincidentally, against the Swans at Old Trafford last April, while Young picked up a serious hamstring problem during the Europa League semi-final against Celta Vigo in Spain.

United’s pre-match planning was disrupted as early as the third minute when they lost defender Ro-Shaun Williams after he took a knock to his head. He was given treatment on the field but after a few minutes he was helped off looking in an unstable state. Fortunately, United had a ready-made replacement in Tyrell Warren on the bench to fill the void.

The Reds were presented with the opportunity to take the lead in the ninth minute, when Joshua Bohui was felled in the area by Swans’ skipper Joe Rodon.

Demetri Mitchell, who grabbed United’s winner at Leicester last week, stepped up to the plate, but his shot flew wide of the keeper’s right-hand post to leave the teams on level terms.

The Reds held sway for much of the first half, with Young and Shaw linking up on more than one occasion, but chances of real quality were few and far between. 

It was certainly as useful workout for the returning stars, with Young in particular taking several heavy challenges in what was turning out to be quite a physical contest.

Eight minutes into the second half and Kenji Gorre, one of two United old-boys in the Swansea side, Tyler Reid being the other, fired his team into the lead with shot from the edge of the area.

A few moments later and speculative effort from Mitchell bounced off the top of Swansea’s crossbar. Young and Shaw, having undergone a really good return to action, were both withdrawn to be replaced by Joe Riley and Tosin Kehinde.

It had been a very encouraging return for the pair, who will surely be aiming to back in the first-team picture as soon as possible.

Indy Boonen grabbed United’s equaliser with 11 minutes remaining, with a close-range finish after the Swansea defence had failed to clear their lines.

United: J. Pereira; Olosunde, Williams (Warren 3), Tuanzebe, Shaw (Kehinde 59); Young (Riley 59), McTominay, Willock, Mitchell; Boonen; Bohui. Subs not used: Richardson, Hamilton.