Marouane Fellaini is in a fight to regain his Manchester United starting place, Louis van Gaal has warned.

The midfielder is suspended for the opening three matches of the Premier League because of the red card he received at Hull City on the final day of last season. Van Gaal is using the four-match tour of America, United’s only matches before the campaign begins on 8 August, to assess other midfielders. In Friday evening’s 1-0 win over Club America in Seattle Fellaini did not play despite the manager deploying different sides in each half.

“Fellaini is suspended for the first three matches and he has longer to be ready, so I have to look at other players,” Van Gaal said.

Fellaini fought his way into Van Gaal’s strongest XI last season but will have to wait until 30 August to be available for a first outing. That is United’s visit to Swansea City. However, as Van Gaal now has many options in midfield the Belgian could face a struggle to play.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin were bought on Monday to join Ander Herrera, Michael Carrick and Daley Blind at the club. Against America, Mexico’s most successful team, it was Schneiderlin who particularly impressed.

Fellaini was one of only four players not to feature. David de Gea and Antonio Valencia missed out because of minor injuries, Van Gaal said. Shaun Goss, the youngest player on the trip at 19, might have expected not to play. The Belgian, though, would have.

Instead Fellaini had to watch as Schneiderlin produced an impressive all-round midfield display that included the fifth-minute header that gave United victory.

Van Gaal said: “He scored with Southampton, I believe five goals, so it is not a coincidence but we have practised this with him, so I was very pleased with the performance.”

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Of United’s other new signings, Schweinsteiger was efficient in the second half; before the break Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian showed promise. The competition Fellaini faces is mirrored around the squad. Although he operated as a No10 against America, Depay is a recognised wide forward, an area where Ángel Di María, who is absent due his post-Copa América holiday, likes to play. When Valencia recovers he will compete with Darmian for the right-back position.

Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Tyler Blackett, Paddy McNair and Daley Blind – all of whom featured against America – along with Marcos Rojo, who is also resting after the Copa América, are in a fight for the two centre-back berths.

Blind, who can also play in central midfield or at left-back, may be moved into defence permanently. “It could be,” said the manager. “Marcos Rojo is not here. He shall come on 25 July. I want to play always with a left-footed central defender and Blind can do the job. Maybe he shall play there but all the players can play there. Last year it was Jones and Smalling, and even McNair has played there. But my preference is a left-footed defender and with Rojo and Blind we have two.”

Against America United were uneven, as is often the case in the first tour match. “It is our first 45-minute game. I wanted to see our defensive organisation and that was the main aspect,” said the manager. “We didn’t give a goal away, only one or two chances, so I am satisfied about that. We played like a team and [Club] America was very handy with the ball, all of the players were very aggressive and quick, so it was not so easy.”

United fly to California on Monday for the next International Champions Cup game. “We use this tournament for our match rhythm, to build it up,” said Van Gaal. “So we play the next match against San Jose and we will also play 45 minutes for all of the players. That is our philosophy and then we will play 60 minutes and 30 minutes. Maybe in the last match we will play for 90 minutes, or use another team to play for 60 minutes. I have to read the data of the players. But our plan is to play the next game with 22 players.”

As with last year’s trip to the US the pitches remain a concern. CenturyLink Field was heavily watered before the match as One Direction had been in concert here. Van Gaal added: “The pitch was difficult. You saw that a lot of players slipped. You can get more injuries, which is a concern. But also last season against Real Madrid we played in such circumstances [at Michigan Stadium]. That is the difference in the US with American football stadiums, it is more important. In England we have Old Trafford and it is only for football. It is not for entertaining. There is no One Direction. In England we live for football but in USA they live for American football and baseball.”