Garry Monk is relishing the prospect of taking charge of his first United game as he prepares the side for Wednesday evening’s pre-season friendly away to Shelbourne (7pm kick-off).

The Dublin-based outfit will provide United’s first opposition of the summer, midway through the third week of pre-season training and 10 days into a two-week stay in Ireland.

The game at Tolka Park, which you can hear exclusively live on LUTV from 6.45pm, is expected to attract a sizeable United following, something which Monk is keen for his players to embrace.

“I can’t wait,” the head coach said. “I already know what a fantastic club it is, how well-supported it is and how passionate the fans are.

“I’ve already felt that in my few weeks at the club and I obviously knew it before from my experience of playing against Leeds. I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s important that we use the support to galvanise ourselves – not to fear anything.

“Sometimes, when you have a big a club with that kind of following, it can put added pressure on. Something I’ll be working on this season is to use that to our advantage.

“I’ve already spoken about that before and it’s important that we try and use it to our advantage.”

The Shelbourne fixture signals the start of United's five-game summer 2016 pre-season schedule, which culminates in an Elland Road friendly with Italian side Atalanta a week before the opening weekend of the new Sky Bet Championship campaign.

Monk said: “You tend to use the games, especially these early games, to look more at the physical side of it.

“But, of course, we’ve already been working tactically and there’ll be certain elements from the team that I want to see in those games.

“The biggest percentage is physically; that the players get minutes on the pitch and they get a feel again for preparation for an actual game.

“That preparation side of it is always good for the players mentally. There’ll be certain things that we’re trying to do physically within the games – that will be the biggest demand – but, of course, we hope to see some of the things that we’ve been working on tactically."

Reflecting on the pre-season tour so far, Monk added: “It’s been great – it’s been a very important trip for us.

“In terms of where the players are working and how they’re adapting, it’s been very pleasing.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do in terms of the squad and how they’re working, but I’ve been very pleased. Their attitudes have been excellent.

“There’s a lot of information that we’re giving them and a lot of physical work, so they’re under a lot of stress mentally and physically.

“But they’re adapting to it and this is what they need to do to be aware of what we need and to make themselves better players.

“That work has been in process for two weeks now and they’ve done very well in the week that we’ve had here.

“When you’re a new manager and you come to the club – players too – you’ve probably been used to working in a certain way.

“A new manager comes in with new ideas, new ways of training and a new approach – and it’s a lot of information you have to compute while your body is under the stress of pre-season’s physical exertion.

“It’s a lot for them to cope with but if you want to play at the highest level or compete with the best, these are the type of situations that you have to deal with as a player.

“They’ve been good, they’ve been adapting very well. We’ve still got a lot of work to go, but as far as the plan that’s in place and the progression of that plan, they’re pretty much on track.”

LIVE COMMENTARY: You can hear full match commentary of Wednesday's pre-season friendly with Shelbourne exclusively live on LUTV, with injured defender Liam Cooper joining Thom Kirwin in the press box to offer his thoughts on the action. The build-up starts from 6.45pm. If you don't already, click here to subscribe to LUTV now from just £1 per month!