In the final fixture before the first international break, United conceded their first goals of the season as they lost 2–1 to Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. United kept a third clean sheet in a row at home to Newcastle United on 22 August, but the forwards were unable to find the net and the match finished as a goalless draw. The game had moved to Friday for policing reasons due to an English Defence League march in nearby Walsall the following day, a decision which also gave United an extra day to prepare for their UEFA Champions League play-off against Club Brugge. United then went top of the League for the first time since August 2013 with another 1–0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park the following Friday Adnan Januzaj's goal in the 29th minute was his first since April 2014. Manchester United began their campaign with a 1–0 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 8 August, with an own goal from Kyle Walker proving the difference between the two teams. The fixtures for this league season were announced on 17 June 2015 at 09:00 BST. Main article: 2015–16 Premier League August Four days later, Manchester United faced European champions Barcelona at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, before completing the campaign at Chicago's Soldier Field with a game against Paris Saint-Germain. It was originally scheduled to be played at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, but it was moved to reduce the amount of travelling the team would have to do. The first match against Mexican side Club América was played on 17 July at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, and was followed, four days later, by a game against Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes at the Earthquakes' home ground, Avaya Stadium in San Jose. Manchester United announced a shortened pre-season tour of the United States on 28 April 2015. United next travel to 11th-placed Southampton on Aug 27.Main article: 2015 International Champions Cup
We need a squad, because we have many games to cover, and so, if we make a team out of the squad and we stick together as a squad then we can achieve a lot. "We do it every game, so, today we picked those players but can be Saturday (at Southampton), it can be different. "We have a squad and then we have a way of play, a style, but also, a game-plan, and you look what is the best approach to the game, and that is what we did today," Ten Hag said. Ronaldo was not the only player from the United team that lost 4-0 to Brentford to be dropped, as captain Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Fred also started on the bench, with Ten Hag saying the changes were part of his game-plan to tackle Liverpool.
If you are young, you are good enough, and when you are old and you still deliver the performance, you are also good enough."
"He always performed, so, why he can't do this? For me, his age is not an issue. In his whole career, he, under several managers, he did in several styles and systems," Ten Hag added. When asked if the 37-year-old can still fit into his style of play, Ten Hag told reporters: "I think he can.
Ronaldo came on as a substitute in the 86th minute, but was unable to make an impact during his brief cameo. Ten Hag was rewarded for his decision to field a frontline of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga, as Sancho and Rashford found the net on Monday to secure a first win for United's Dutch manager. Manchester United's new manager Erik ten Hag said Cristiano Ronaldo still features in his plans for the season despite dropping the Portugal international from the club's starting line-up in their 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool.