Manchester United began their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 loss to Wrexham in Helsinki. The match saw the debut of new signing Andrey Santos and Harry Maguire returning as captain.
First Half Debut for Santos
New £50 million signing Andrey Santos started the match in a more defensive midfield role alongside Mason Mount. The midfielder, who arrived from Chelsea, showed flashes of his capabilities, including a 93% pass accuracy from 55 touches, winning four of six duels, and creating two chances. Despite a couple of instances where he lost possession in dangerous areas, manager Michael Carrick expressed satisfaction with his initial performance.
"He's settled in really well," Carrick said before the game. "He's a fantastic character and he's buzzing to be here, you can see that. We're not expecting anything crazy special today. It's just a step: get your eye in and get back on the pitch again. He'll do really well for us."
Other new acquisitions, Youri Tielemans and goalkeeper Karl Darlow, did not feature. Tielemans is on holiday after World Cup duties, and Darlow is recovering from a medical procedure. Veteran Tom Heaton started in goal for the first half, with Radek Vitek taking over for the second.
Maguire Leads the Line
Harry Maguire, who was stripped of the captaincy in July 2023, wore the armband for the match. This marked his return to leading the team in a pre-season friendly, with Bruno Fernandes absent due to World Cup commitments. Maguire, still a key figure at 33, was met with appreciation from the United fans present. He made a strong challenge on Nathan Broadhead, though he was involved in the play that led to Wrexham's goal.
Wrexham took the lead in the 39th minute through former United academy player Sam Smith. The goal came after Joshua Zirkzee had narrowly missed the target and Smith had headed against his own bar from a Mason Mount corner.
A Game of Two Halves
Carrick opted to play his senior players in the first half and the youth team in the second. The first-half lineup, featuring Maguire, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Santos, Mount, Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu, Jack Fletcher, and Joshua Zirkzee, was structured to fit Carrick's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Leny Yoro adapted to a right-back role, while Heaven made a crucial recovery challenge.
The youth team dominated the second half after 11 changes were made at the interval. Despite their control, they were unable to find an equalizer. Wrexham's youngsters also had opportunities, with Davis Keillor-Dunn forcing a save from Vitek. Manchester United appealed for a penalty in the final seconds when Dan Gore was challenged in the box, but it was not given.
Manchester United's next pre-season fixture is against Rosenborg in Trondheim on Friday.